Intra Tentatio Insania
by surban75
Summary: "Within the Temptation of Insanity" One of their own is missing, Seph and Genesis are falling apart little by little and everyone else seems to have given up. *This is AU & OOC, warnings inside as needed. Minor differences, such as character ages. Rated for drug use, drug references, language, innuendo & mentions of suicide. Mystery/Friendship/Drama Rated M. *Story in Progress*
1. Finality - Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square-Enix, Final Fantasy or any of the characters, wish I did, but I don't.

**A/N:** I have had this idea for a while and I wanted to get it posted to see what you thought. I still don't have a beta reader, but I am trying my best. I have an idea of where I want this story to go and I hope that I get the chance to get it done. I am still working on UB, but I think that it may be worth it to explore this story and see where it takes me. I invite you to join my journey and hope you enjoy your travels with me. There is a reason for the latin title. There will be a little very light and implied yaoi later, but please do not misunderstand, this is NOT a yaoi story, it is a mystery. There will be warnings at the beginning of the chapters that have any in it, so if you want to skip it, you can.

I don't have a beta reader, so if there are any mistakes, let me know or just overlook them, it's you're choice. *grinning*

* * *

**Intra Tentatio Insania  
"Within the Temptation of Insanity"**

"Don't lower your standards. Instead, wait for people to rise to your expectations." -Unknown

Prologue

~Finality~

"We are calling off the search," Lazard shifted in his chair as he moved a file with the large red letters 'Confidential' stamped across the front.

"We can't just give up. Please sir, we will look on our own time, just don't call it completely off," Genesis leaned on the other side of the desk.

Large fists hit the desk in an exaggerated manner as Lazard stood in a rush, "It has been nine months Genesis. I don't like it any more than you, but my decision is final!"

Genesis straightened and his pleading eyes turned to Sephiroth, "Seph, do something. We have to do _something_."

The silver General stood motionless with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, "We have to accept his fate Genesis," Sephiroth looked back at Genesis with a noticeable sway of emotion welling in his face, "It's over." A flash of silver hair stormed out of the door with a crash. When the door landed on the floor next to Lazard's secretary, he didn't slow, he just continued down the hallway.

Genesis was left with emptiness, gazing at the plush swirl of colors that made circular patterns on the carpet. The tone was the saddest he ever thought he heard, "I hope you can live with this decision." Crimson leather fluttered behind him as he followed his sterling partner.

Getting to his apartment, he inserted his card key, but it flashed red. He tried again and yet again it denied his entrance. Black gloved fists struck the reinforced steel door several times until he rested his forehead on the offending barrier. Silver hair fell across his shoulders in its unruly state. Not having the will to lower his hands, they continued to flail softly against the cool silver door. A small sniff, then a swipe at his face to remove the moisture that was a clear sign of weakness, he flipped around to face away from the door and leaned his back against it.

A few SOLDIERs and a couple of infantry passed by him in the hallway, some nodded in recognition, some smiled in awe, others still avoided eye contact with him. It was something that he had gotten used to anymore. His breeding had seen to that, emotion was stupid and frivolous, but it was something that he had learned to appreciate in certain doses.

His father, being the President, had its drawbacks. He had worked hard for his place as General. It wasn't just given to him. However, over the last few months, his fits of anger had shown many to stay clear. The trainees he was in charge of had become the center pieces of his wrath. When in training, he had let himself get carried away and had sent several of them to the infirmary. If it hadn't been for Genesis, he was sure that he would have killed a few of them.

Genesis living just next door to him had been a great way for them to get through the second most difficult thing that they had gone through. They had exchanged keys so that the other had access to the other's apartment at any time, but it had become a crutch for them anymore.

"Are you okay Seph?"

Sephiroth looked up at blue eyes peering through the first class's red hair, "I will be, but it doesn't change that we have lost…" Sephiroth's words trailed off as Genesis closed the distance and embraced Sephiroth.

In a rare display, Sephiroth returned Genesis's affection. The two SOLDIERs basically grew up together and were as close as brothers could be, "I miss them too but we need to talk."

Sephiroth looked up at Genesis and he could tell that there was something going on in that hard head of his. Not wanting to hold the suspense any longer, Sephiroth turned and tried again to open the door to his apartment. Genesis looked around and as Sephiroth threw his card key on the coffee table, it slid off the other side to the cluttered floor, "When was the last time you cleaned around here?"

Pulling a large half empty bottle of vodka out of the freezer, he poured himself a glass and downed it quickly. While he poured another he answered, "What does it matter? The company doesn't care about us anymore, why should I care about my fucking apartment?" Another glass down and Genesis joined him at the kitchen counter.

"Seph, give me that," Taking the bottle, he raised it to his lips and drank a large part of it until he choked on the strength of it, "What the hell? Is this shit actually vodka?"

Grabbing the bottle from him, he poured another, "No, I confiscated it, from some of the infantry guys in the barracks," He stepped away from Genesis and pulled open another cabinet, "Along with these here."

The large assortment of alcohol was impressive to say the least, "I guess I should pay a visit to my garrison to see what they have to offer," Genesis drank the selection that Sephiroth poured in his glass.

During the evening, well into the night they drown their memories in the bottles that soon littered the already disarrayed apartment. They talked about everything that they dared and Genesis tried to keep Sephiroth as far off the subject as possible, but that was unavoidable as predicted.

The next morning, Genesis found himself waking up in a seriously uncomfortable place somehow under the coffee table. Fuzziness at the previous night's sorrow drowning events pried themselves to the top of his list of things to analyze right after hitting the bathroom. Not seeing Sephiroth, he shrugged and continued on his way when he noticed the front door was slightly ajar, "Hey Seph?" No response, but that didn't mean much. Having to go through the bedroom to get to the bathroom, he tripped on a pair of boots that had been left in the middle of the floor. Standing at the foot of the bed, his face blushed brightly at the sight of a naked Sephiroth lying next to a well-endowed naked woman.

He didn't recognize her and that was okay, lately Sephiroth had taken to going through women like shit through a chocobo. It was a revolving door that his depression had led him through. Continuing into the bathroom, he relieved himself and as he flushed, a small glint caught his attention. Sitting on the back of the toilet was a syringe and a tourniquet. Maybe Sephiroth's depression was deeper than he thought originally. It would have to wait for another day to discuss, but he couldn't be hypocritical, he had his own drug of choice.

Lazard had no idea what his two remaining firsts were up to. He wondered if he even really cared, sure that he had heard stories, nothing was said to either of them.

"Hey Seph, we got to get to work," Genesis's light tap on his leg brought him out of his deep sleep. Genesis realized that they hadn't talked about what he had wanted to talk to him about before they got shit faced drunk, "Come on, we gotta shower."

Sephiroth rolled over to the side of the bed and had to pull his hair out from under the sleeping woman. Sephiroth was far too nice, so Genesis woke her and pushed her things into her arms as he pushed her out the door. With the unpleasantness out of the way and making sure that Sephiroth was indeed awake, he headed back to his own apartment to shower.

His desk seemed to be covered in paperwork, "I thought I was a warrior, not a damn paper jockey." Disgusted with the systematic removal of their field work, he swept all the papers into the wastebasket. To the surprise of his office mate, he climbed on the desk and promptly fell asleep. That was until Reno showed up.

Sephiroth didn't even look up from his paper work when the Turk walked in, "Hey Sephy, how is it hangin these days? I heard it's pretty loose here lately."

Finishing his signature on the forms and without giving the red-headed Turk the satisfaction of his undivided attention, he asked, "What do you want Reno?"

When Reno's rear end planted itself on the edge of the desk, Sephiroth finally looked up, "Well, I have some info that just crossed my desk, just thought you and your fuck toy over there just might be interested."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes and growled, "Get off of my desk…Turk."

Throwing his hands up, "Fine, fine, I guess it isn't that important anyway, it was just a sighting, nothing confirmed," Reno's departure from the room marked Sephiroth jumping and vaulting over his desk. In a swift move, he slapped Genesis and then followed the Turk out into the hallway.

"What is going on Seph?" Genesis wiped the sleep from his eyes with a wide yawn.

"We gotta find that damn annoying Turk. He knows something," Sephiroth scanned the rest of the office floor and open aired hallway and finally spotted the object of his search. Grabbing a handful of red leather coat, he ran and pulled Genesis with him until they reached the elevators and cornered the black suited man, "Spill it Reno."

"What no drink first?"

"Reno, its five o'clock, quitting time, so what do you want?" Sephiroth crossed his arms an impatient look covered his pale face.

"All I want is a little of that awesome shit you get," The blank looks from both firsts pulled a laugh out of Reno's lips, "A little booze, some porn and women, geez what a bunch of stingy bastards around here."

Genesis's red gloved hand pushed Reno's back firmly against the elevator wall, "How do we know the info you have is worthwhile?"

A sly smile crossed the subtly red lips of the red Turk, "Oh, it's good shit. Trust me, but you didn't hear any of it from me."

Silver eyebrows raised and watched the elevator doors open on the floor holding the first class apartments, "We know the routine Reno, now come on before I change my mind."

Five hours of listening to the man ramble on and on about his sexual preferences, alcohol tolerance, childhood sweetheart and on to what his favorite subject in school was, they grew impatient at his incessant talking. They finally got to the topic of interest, "A report of a sighting in the small town of Calchest, about fifty miles from Nibelheim was…"

Sephiroth grabbed him, "Was what? Was what Reno?"

"Oh, what was I saying?" Reno smiled at him, "Oh yeah, that's right. The sighting, they said it was a guy claiming to be a SOLDIER first class."

Genesis and Sephiroth looked at each other and Genesis rolled his eyes, "Reno, we get those just about every day. What makes this one so special?"

Reno smiled and grabbed a little of Sephiroth's long hair and slurred out, "His eyes are said to be mako eyes and he surprisingly fits the description of one very missing Zack Fair."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy." **

**Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning***


	2. Nibelheim

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square-Enix, Final Fantasy or any of the characters, wish I did, but I don't.

A/N: There is a reason for the latin title. Here is the second chapter, I am still working on Unbreakable Bonds, but I just wanted to get this out. I have some of my OCs from UB that I just couldn't leave behind, I just like them too damn much. Also, I don't think Reno is going to play much of a part in this story. In UB he is in later chapters just because I love him and I love writing him, but I just don't see much going on with him right now.

I don't have a beta reader, so if there are any mistakes, let me know or just overlook them, it's you're choice. *grinning*

* * *

"Feelings change – memories don't." –Joel Alexander

Chapter 2

~Nibelheim~

The transport truck roared down the road at a painstakingly slow pace. From the looks of the three infantry guys across from him, this was their first real mission. Straight out of boot camp, he could tell. Equipment in tip top shape, boots spit shined, uniforms still had that new uniform stiffness from the overabundance of starch and then there was their young faces. Baby faces, he wondered if they even shaved yet.

He was shaken from his thoughts from one of the green soldiers, "Sir? Lieutenant Fair?"

"Yes?"

"The driver said we are about another half hour from town,"

Zack couldn't help but smile, the soldier's words were hesitant and broken in a scared but ready sort of way. Pulling out his canteen, he held it out to the three in front of him and made a toast with a mischievous grin and a wink, "Here's to your first time."

All three soldiers blushed as Zack lifted the canteen to his lips. Before that could happen, the truck hit a pot hole and instead of getting to drink the water, he got to wear it. The look on the Lieutenant's face was one that made all three guys giggle.

"Oh come ooonn! Right on the front of my pants? Seriously?" Swiping at the liquid refreshment just seemed to make the wet spot spread. Noticing the laughing from across the bed of the truck, "You think this is funny huh? Let's see how funny it is when you're all giving me 200 pushups. Huh? Still think its funny?" Of course the giggling stopped and their faces of amusement went to fear in a split second. Staring each one down, he just couldn't hold it anymore so when he burst forth with a boisterous laugh, they only looked at each other.

They had heard stories of this SOLDIER, that he was fun, loved to laugh, but was stern and all business when it came down to the job. Not knowing if the truck ride to their destination counted as 'on the job' or not, they took everything at face value.

The small town of Nibelheim stood quietly in front of all four of them, "Well, let's go, this mission won't take care of itself." With strong purpose, Zack began his trek through town.

People peeking through curtains, doors slightly ajar then slamming shut and the eerie feeling that went along with being watched thickened the air around them. The map showed that the reactor was up in the mountains, walking there would take much of the day, "Alright men, check your gear, we may end up sleeping in the mountains tonight if we don't get there post haste."

Slinging theirs heavy canvas bags around their shoulders, the long walk began. The first class started off the conversation with questions, "So what do I call you, thing one, thing two and thing three?"

A muffled snicker came from one of them, "No sir, I'm Private Barber. This is Private Stringer and that's Private Lawrence."

"Great to meet ya," The Lieutenant adjusted his pack, "Any of you guys know any good jokes?"

They watched the back of his head intently, silent, following his lead. His huge buster sword glinted in the afternoon sunlight. When the larger man stopped and turned, their eyes widened at his towering presence. Not only was he strong, tall and a first class, but they were in awe of his mesmerizing eyes that burned a bright turquois and his contagious smile.

"Listen, we're liable to be here for a few days, so you guys should loosen up a little," He turned back and began his walk up the trail again, "But don't get too comfortable, there are still monsters that lurk in the darkest of shadows." He grinned at the soft murmurs behind him.

Breaking up the quiet yet panicked discussion of being eaten alive by the next monster to cross their path, Zack let an amused smirk take up residence on his face, "Okay, I have a joke.

"These two older southern belles are sitting on the first one's porch drinking iced tea. The first one says to the other one, "You see that peach orchard over there, my husband bought that land for me when I had my first son." The second one just rocks gently in her chair and says, "That's nice." A few minutes later the first one speaks up again, "Do you see that apple orchard over on the other side? My husband bought that land for me when I had my second son." The second one rocks gently in her chair again, and again she says, "That's nice."

"A little later the first one asks, "What did your husband get for you when you had your son?" the second one answers, "A book of etiquette." The first one is surprised and blurts out, "A book of etiquette, whatever for?!" The second one takes a drink of her tea and then answers back very matter-of-factly, "So that I would say 'that's nice' instead of 'fuck you.'"

After his own fit of laughter, and the guy's laughter quieted, he asks, "Anyone else?"

One of them spoke up finally, "No sir, I don't, but that was a good joke sir."

"Thank you, my dad told me that one a couple of years ago. Okay, well then if no one else wants to tell a joke, let's just concentrate on what we're doing." Even though he wasn't fond of the silence, it seemed oddly comforting here.

He liked walking, the stillness of sitting or staying in one spot made him antsy. He had always been a mover, his mother used to say that he ran on batteries that didn't need much charging. The walking cleared his mind and got his breathing in a rhythm that knocked at the pace of two of his strides. The cool mountain air, the quiet brisk breeze and the rustle of his clothes as he moved brought with it memories, both good and bad.

Yeah he was in the peak of health, but his thoughts couldn't help but get mixed in causing a physically unrelated skip in his heart beat. Angeal's face and words echoed in his mind. The thing, the shell that he had become, losing his mind and getting lost in his own world of pain. He wondered why it was that Angeal thought that there was no other recourse. If only he had let his friends in, he would still be alive to this day. Zack lightly ran his fingertips along the scar on the palm of his hand.

What was the trigger? How had it happened? He had seen the slip, he slid down that ramp of the unknown and the blackness of the abyss had won him over. It had only been a few months, but he still found that ache of missing his friend, his mentor, hiding behind his heart, waiting to emerge at the slightest thought.

The dark haired SOLDIER stopped short and held his hand up in a tight fist signaling for everyone to stop and shut up. He held up two fingers and pointed to the right and one finger and pointed the left. As they shuffled silently to their spots, Zack peered around the corner of the boulder at the reactor entrance.

Pointing to his eyes, he indicated to two of them that they watch the door and the other to watch their backs.

Zack knew the methodical training that had been ground into him from the time he first stepped foot on Shinra property. He flattened his hand, palm down and signaled them to lay low and stay there.

Slinging his pack off, Lawrence took it and watched as his smooth movements that took the larger man into the reactor.

As it began to get dark, Lawrence looked over at the other two. They all questioned each other silently, not knowing what to do. It had been hours now that the SOLDIER vanished through the door. They had not seen anyone leave, or enter, keeping their eyes vigil on the reactor just as instructed.

Lawrence finally spoke a little louder than a whisper, "I'm gonna go check it out, just stay here and cover me."

"No, Lawrence, he told us to stay here!" Stringer's tone was pleading and scared.

"What if he is injured, he may need medical attention," Lawrence dropped his bag next to the Lieutenant's pack and began ducking and weaving just as Zack had done, only not near as graceful. He was exposed, out in the open upon reaching the door, so he quickly but cautiously slid the door inward slowly and disappeared inside.

Grabbing for his small army issued flashlight off of his belt, it illuminated a small room filled with pipes, ladders, walkways and steam. The warm humid air made him break out into a sweat, not sure whether it was actually the temperature or his nerves. All he did know was that finding a light switch relieved him on many levels.

The eerie feeling that the darkness had granted the room before had fallen back as the light invaded the scary intentions of the shadows. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he opened the only other door in the room, still nothing. That room was a dead end, nothing but pods of mako in different stages of refinement. Backing out and rejoining his fellow soldiers, "I think we need to head back to town."

"We can't just leave. We will be disobeying a direct order," Barber's hands began to shake; he was scared, he was willing to admit it to himself. Anything that could take a first class out could easily take out three new infantry soldiers who were not even finished with their training. His judgment was to hide his hands in his pockets for the warmth.

"I think in this case it wouldn't be considered disobeying an order," Stringer stood and as his walk led him back to town, the other two followed.

* * *

_SLAM!_

The jerk of his shoulders at the loud noise of the red gloved hand hitting the table in front of him caused his eyes to dart to the blue eyes behind the strands of red hair.

"I asked you a question soldier and I expect an answer. Did you or did you not enter the reactor?"

"Y-yes sir, I went inside."

"Did you see Lieutenant Fair inside or not?"

"No sir. I didn't see him," Lawrence fidgeted with his fingers in his lap.

Genesis straightened his back and stalked around the table and quietly talked into his ear, "How long was Lieutenant Fair gone before you went back to town?"

Lawrence shut his blood shot eyes and whispered, "About four hours sir."

"So you mean to tell me that you three just sat there, playing cards, twiddling your thumbs, jerking each other off or whatever you like to do to each other, while the Lieutenant was Gaia knows where?"

Lawrence's shoulders shook, his eyes squeezed shut, he could feel Genesis's breath on the side of his neck. The sudden urge to urinate made him push down on his crotch and squeeze his legs together to keep from pissing himself right there in front of non-other than Genesis Raspsodos, "Y-yes s-sir."

"Well that is just great. Instead of heading back to town and getting help immediately, you sat around with your dick in your hand," Genesis stopped in front of the door, "I guess this is what our army is dwindling down to, a bunch of pansy-ass momma's boys." When Genesis slammed the door, he could see his silver comrade.

"Genesis, we are getting nowhere this way. You damn near frightened the boy into pissing himself. What's with all the foul language? You never talked that way before," Sephiroth stood outside the door that held one of the other soldiers.

A shrug of his shoulders and a shy smile helped answer the question, "I hear that language all the time, just wanted to try it out."

Setting aside his amusement at the proverbial popping of Genesis's linguistic cherry, he cleared his throat, "He has been missing for two days now."

"According to them, but it just seems a little off to me."

"Genesis, Sephiroth, I want you to go to Nibelheim and see what you can find. Report back to me in three days," Lazard gathered the files of the three infantrymen, "Let these boys go, I think their debriefing is concluded. Oh and Genesis, don't be so hard on them next time, it's a debriefing not an interrogation."

Sephiroth couldn't help but grin a little at his second in command's face. He might as well have just stuck his tongue out at the director.

The next morning, jumping out of the helicopter right on the city limits, Sephiroth and Genesis eyed the sleepy little town.

"See ya in a couple of days," Reno took the helicopter up and out of sight.

"That Turk is odd," Genesis finished his one finger salute to Reno, "And annoyingly talkative." Red leather whipped around in the harsh wind from the helicopter and he was silently glad that Sephiroth hadn't seen him flip Reno off.

"Well, I suppose we run a sweep through town as we head to the reactor," Sephiroth's strides were wide as if in a hurry to meet someone. Time was of the essence, Zack could be in serious trouble.

Not seeing anyone out on the street or anything unusual, besides the residents, they continued to the scene of the disappearance. A swift kick to the outside of the locked door, Sephiroth knocked it loose from its seating in the frame. Genesis was amused at how Sephiroth was never a big fan of doors.

"Why was the door locked? The soldiers never said anything about the door being locked or locking it when they left," Sephiroth took to the ladder and scanned the upper walkways.

Genesis tried the other door and again, all that was there were the pods, just as the boy had said, "Seph, I don't know, but I got a bad feeling about this."

A rush of silver passed him. It seemed that the hound dog in Sephiroth had turned him into a rushing menace of fury. Pulling things down, pushing things to the side, before long, the mako room was taken apart, revealing absolutely nothing.

For two days they scoured the reactor and the town. The residents seemed to be intimidated to the point that there was no way to get any information. They were at a standstill.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy." **

**Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning***


	3. Six Months Gone

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square-Enix, Final Fantasy or any of the characters, wish I did, but I don't.

A/N: This story is pretty much coming out quickly. I am already several chapters in and don't exactly know where it is taking me. I am raising the rating for this chapter to **M** for language, sexual references and drug use.

There is a reason for the latin title.

I don't have a beta reader, so if there are any mistakes, let me know or just overlook them, it's you're choice. *grinning*

* * *

"Forgive your enemies, but never, never forget their names." –John F. Kennedy

Chapter 3

~Six Months Gone~

"Ah, son, come in," The President sat behind his desk, on the phone until he abruptly hung up on whoever he had been talking to, "What can I do for you?"

Sephiroth plopped down in the large plush chair in front of the desk. He had never 'plopped' before and the look on his father's face almost brought a laugh. Deciding that this was as good a time as any, "I want to know why you are taking resources away from the search for Zack."

Leaning back in his chair, the President dropped his hands into his lap, "Well he has been missing for six months. If we were going to find him, we should have already done so."

Leaning his elbow on the arm of the chair, Sephiroth tapped his teeth with his fingernail as he stared off to the side. The bookcase next to the wall held a few books that seemed out of place, but at that moment, he didn't care.

"I can see that you are distraught, but you have got to straighten your act up. I have heard stories of your 'adventures' as of late."

Dropping his gaze in thought, he supposed that his recent activities could have been a little on the wild side, but the fact remained that he felt a deep loss. First Angeal now Zack, "Who are you to tell me to curb my behavior? You have a different prostitute in here almost every night. At least I don't have to pay for it _dad_," Knocking the chair over as he left just drove in his need to vent.

Getting to his apartment, he pulled out the stash that he had gotten just last night. His father seemed to think that women were all he had been doing. Not wanting him to find out about it had taken a backseat. Here recently, instead of waiting until he got home from work, he had made stops to his apartment during the lunch hour.

Dropping by the training room with the garrison of SOLDIER recruits that he was in charge of, he thought that a little training might do them some good. Slamming the doors to the gym open, the doors hit the wall and bounced back and Sephiroth caught them and flung them closed behind him. Everyone fell silent and stared wide eyed at the silver haired god of war, "Okay, listen. I'm in the mood for a little spar. Anyone interested in taking a shot at me?"

Not surprisingly no one volunteered. Completely ignoring the instructor's lesson, he picked out four boys, "Come on. Show me what you have learned from this _fine_ institution."

Once he had all four boys on the ground, panting, sweating and one was actually crying, he hovered over them, his prized 'kills'. He dared anyone to stop him from claiming them in victory.

"Seph! Hey, let's go get some dinner," Genesis had followed the two boys that the instructor had sent to retrieve him. Understandably, the instructor was concerned and he had a very good reason to, Sephiroth's increased bizarre behavior had concerned everyone.

Genesis dropped down on Sephiroth's couch and oddly enough a sock popped up from between the cushions. Reaching into his pocket, Genesis pulled out his phone and ordered take out.

"I thought we were going out," Sephiroth's path of pacing led to him to the kitchen and back out.

Waiting for the current lap that brought him back out into the living room, Genesis inquired, "Do you really want to go out in public as agitated as you are?"

Making another lap, "No, I guess not," Sephiroth held a bottle of Gongagan Gold Elite bourbon to his lips. Instead of using a glass, Sephiroth had taken to just drinking from the bottle, less dishes that way.

After eating, the silver general had drunk himself into a level of intoxication that he rather liked. The euphoria set him up for a night of relaxation. After Genesis left, the knock at the door brought him around to the steel door and the beautiful dark haired seductress.

Pulling her not to gently into the apartment, his ability to control himself ceased and he took her right there by the door, atop the pile of their clothing. Then again on the couch, then finally the bedroom, she was spent and as usual he wasn't. However staying conscious from an alcohol blackout seemed the most difficult.

Shutting the door to his apartment, the red head jumped up and landed on his back, comfy on his black leather couch. Pulling a baggie of dried green leaves from his pants pocket, he had one rolled and waiting inside the baggie. Lighting it up, he slowly got high while listening to the General bang out his frustration on the willing woman that showed up at his apartment. Retrieving the bottle of cheap whisky, he swigged it and had almost half of it down before he came back for air.

The steady noise from next door got louder as they moved closer to the bedroom and he tried to ignore his own growing arousal. His eyes persistently watched the ceiling fan whirl, "What the fuck has happened to us?" The soft wisps of smoke drifted until caught up in the breeze, coating the room in the sweet aroma, "Tomorrow I think I'm calling up that front desk chick."

In the morning, sitting across from each other from behind their desks, Genesis cupped his chin in his palm. Sephiroth shuffled documents around, signing, shuffle, signing… The loud sigh cascaded around them, and the new noise from the ballpoint pen sent out the tapping of the song that was playing in Genesis's head.

They were just happy that their SOLDIER modifications kept them from getting hangovers. However it didn't do much to lessen the effects of any of the recreation that they hid from one another.

After lunch, the secretary entered, "Sirs?"

"What?" Red hair shifted with the movement and he smirked, "Tell me that you have a good reason to disturb our busy work day." The secretary looked confused as she looked back and forth between them.

"Yes sir. We have another phone call saying that they are a SOLDIER on line 2."

"Genesis, I'll take it this time," Pale lips then mouthed quietly, "Fucking waste of my time." Getting the phone to his ear, "SOLDIER offices, this is Sephiroth, how can I help you?"

Soft breathing turned ragged and then a whisper, "I-I'm a SOLDIER… need h-help…"

"Listen, you are wasting valuable resources and not to mention my time. So unless you have some pertinent information I suggest you re-think your choices."

Ragged breathing turned to quiet breathing and eerie whispers, "Shh (inaudible word)… Help me… please… I don't know where-"

When the caller suddenly cut the call short, the handset in Sephiroth's gloved hand found a harsh meeting with the rest of the phone as he could feel his shoulder muscles tense, "Attention seeking freaks. That one was trying to sound like they were hiding or something."

The thought quickly ran through his mind, could it have actually been Zack? Trying to remember what Zack's voice is like, he just couldn't recall the sound, intonation and pronunciation. He just couldn't think clearly and it led him to the conclusion that he shouldn't go to his apartment during lunch time anymore.

With another week gone by, both SOLDIERs sat on the plush couch in Genesis's place. Mindlessly flipping through channels, neither one wanted to admit to the other of their level of depression. Sephiroth was close to deserting and taking everything in his path on a ride of destruction that the company had never seen.

Finally fed up and after dropping by his apartment, the last obstacle between the silver haired man was the door to the gym. On the other side held several recruits, he had new techniques to show them during a sparring match. For educational purposes only, of course, or that is what he told himself, "Anyone want to try and take me down?"

Wide eyes were all he got in return. They all looked like a sea of grey, fifteen dark grey gym shorts and grey tank tops showed the lack of muscle that the group displayed. He could swear he saw one of them slink off and hide behind one of the larger boys. Soft murmurs accompanied hurried shushes. Not one person, except for the one hiding had moved.

"General Sephiroth, I am in the middle of a training session right now, could this wait for just a few more minutes, Sir?"

Cool blue eyes stared down light brown eyes. The light brown wisely backed down.

"Alright, this is what is going to happen, someone is going to volunteer, or I can pick one half of the room," Stepping up to the mat, his presence became a reality again.

There was nothing but silence until one lone boy stepped forward, "I-I'll fight you sir." Many of the other boys gasped and the murmurs began a new round, covering the room.

Surprise covered the General's face, here stood a boy, no older than 18, thin, but muscular with an uncommon SOLDIER type of physique at this stage in his training. Apparently, the first two mako shots that they received had already started working in this recruit. Although the General was in all intents and purposes stoned out of his mind, the overall look of the boy made for a sight. He could probably rest his chin on the top of his full head of blond hair that was as unruly as the cutest of chocobo tails. What really set him apart from any other boys were his eyes. They were the brightest yet deepest royal blue he thought that he had ever seen, but that wasn't all. Reflected in those fathomable eyes was a level of knowledge, wise beyond his years.

"Are you feeling confident _boy_?" The words spilled like poison, feeling that the words were far harsher than he intended.

"No Sir."

"Then why did you volunteer if that isn't the case?"

Remembering the day he had taken out four of his classmates in less than twenty seconds, his heart beat hard under his ribs. The boy stepped closer and flinched at the sight of a wild, animalistic vibe oozing from the larger man, "Because sir. Isn't it better to sacrifice one for the group, than sacrifice the entire group? This way, only one will be sent to the infirmary."

Long fingers wrapped around the boy's muscled and sweaty bicep, "What do you know? You're just a boy. What is your name?"

"Strife, _Sir_," The disgust that laced the boy's answer was full of anger, yet he intended to try to make a point. As his arm was pulled upward, he grimaced, the pain was minimal, but the anticipation of more pain sent the involuntary shudder through him.

Bright sunshine filtered through the thin curtains that overlooked the plate. A fuzzy memory pushed forward, the pain shot forward faster, winning the race to his consciousness. The sight of an IV dripping clear liquid drew his eyes to his body that hid under the covers. Did he really want to look? He painfully discovered the cast on his arm, from just under his arm pit down to his palm. Before he could decide, the blankets pulled up at the insistence of his other arm.

A cast enclosed one of his legs all the way up to his groin and then the ankle on the other leg was covered in a cast. Just barely able to discern the very tops of his toes, he wiggled them gingerly. His ribs were tightly wrapped, and a tube coming from under his hospital gown led to a collection bag. With the arm he could bend, the feel of thick bandages wrapped his head and a large lump that subtly screamed its presence. Overall his condition was not only painful, but repulsive, "I guess this is what I get for challenging the General when he's wasted."

"You got that right," At the intrusive voice, the young man jerked and then quickly regretted moving at all. A tall man clad in red leather stood at the doorway, casually leaning against the frame, "I have to say that what you did was either really stupid, or really brave."

"I would like to think the latter," Choking out a small one sided smile, he groaned at the protest in his hips at his attempt to adjust to a more comfortable position.

"I'll give you credit though, you held your own for just a little over 30 seconds. You were even able to get a lucky sword strike on his shoulder too. No small feat there kid."

"Thanks, I think…" The look of confusion got a chuckle from the taller man.

"The doctor informed me that he gave you a booster of mako, so you should heal up quickly," Out of nowhere the second in command produced a file and read from it, "Recruit Cloud Strife, 17 years old, 5 foot 8 inches, weight 130 pounds, blond hair and blue eyes, only child of Claire and Proud Strife, father deceased." Pursing his lips, he mocked in a babyish tone, "How sweet is that, combining their names to get yours. Weird names must run in your family."

Straightening his back he continued, "Instructor's observations, quiet and reserved, test scores are in the top 98% of his class, fighting skill is average, has great potential and would improve greatly if given more opportunity for extra physical training," Slapping the file shut, he dropped his hand to his side and raised an eyebrow, "Does this accurately describe you recruit?"

"Sir, I would like to think that my life isn't summed up in just a few sentences… so, no Sir."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy." **

**Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning***


	4. Nibelheim Redux

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square-Enix, Final Fantasy or any of the characters, wish I did, but I don't.

Here is chapter 4, I hope you all like it. There is a reason for the latin title.

Thanks to all of you who read, subscribe and/or favorite.

I don't have a beta reader, so if there are any mistakes, let me know or just overlook them, it's you're choice. *grinning*

* * *

"Don't take life too serious. You'll never escape it alive anyway." –Elbert Hubbard

Chapter 4

~Nibelheim Redux~

Genesis's eyes followed the other man, "Would you _stop_ it already?" Sephiroth's pacing had finally gotten on his nerves, "Listen, all we have to do is tell Lazard that there's a monster outbreak in Calchest."

"I'll go to my _father_, maybe he can pull a few strings… No, he won't, he would hate the fact that he was proven wrong," A silver flash left the room, but yelled from the bedroom, "Let's just tell Lazard the truth."

"What? I guess we could just go up to Lazard and say, 'Oh Director Lazard, a Turk gave us confidential information and we want to use company money and resources to check it out?' Yeah that sounds like a stupid idea Seph," The red SOLDIER sat back on the couch and draped his hands across the back. Blaming the syringe he had spotted that was filled with Gaia knows what; the General's usual cleanliness was on hiatus for the last few months. Scanning the coffee table, floor, chair and hallway, if Sephiroth didn't clean his apartment soon, he, Genesis Raspsodos would do it, it was starting to smell.

"Heh, we could always call in sick and use our own money," A nervous laugh shook his mouth into a grin, his pacing began again.

"You know, that just might work if Dr. Chase wouldn't turn inside out to try to find out what was wrong with us," Wisps of red hair floated just above his nose, caught in the exhale, "I think our best bet would be the first idea, only with an anonymous tip."

The General froze, his eyes lit up and a smile crept across his face, "That Turk, he would help. Of course we would have to accommodate him. I know a couple of women that aren't too picky. We can talk to him tomorrow."

Morning light shone through the towers windows as they made their way to their office. Friendly smiles and 'good mornings' were abundant, they waited impatiently for the lunch hour to inch its way into the day.

"Where is he? I know he eats here I've seen him," Genesis's blue eyes scanned across the room, looking for any indication of the Turk's bright red hair, "There!"

"Hey guys what brings you two to the food court, I thought ya'll always eat at the executive cafeteria?" The red Turk kicked his feet up and settled them on the table top.

"We… we want, no, need your help," Sephiroth's eyes rolled as the words almost got stuck in his throat.

Leaning back, hands behind his head and his biggest toothy grin was soon followed by the sound of an amused comment, "I knew it was just a matter of time."

Red leather gloves smacked the feet off of the table, "Let's go. It needs to be done before the end of the work day."

The Turk followed one of the larger men, while the other stayed next to him. Explaining the request was left to Genesis figuring that Sephiroth was too easily agitated; he would probably just end up killing the aggravating man.

Getting back to their office while Reno made the call, they just had to wait. As if perfectly timed, the secretary buzzed in, "Sirs, Director Lazard is requesting your presence."

"Thank you, inform him that we are on our way," Pale lips turned into a slight grin of triumph, he just hoped that it wasn't premature.

"Yes, sir, you wanted to see us?" Genesis sidled right up next to the desk.

"It appears that we have an outbreak of tonberrys and movers in Calchest. I want you both to go, from the sound of it, it is pretty bad and you will be leaving immediately. I also have a couple of recruits that I want you to take with you as back up. Their promotion to third class rides on this mission," Sliding them the file about the mission to them across the desk, he dismissed them.

With a very challenging display of self-control, they both kept their smiles at bay until they had left the office, "Seph, if this pays off as good intel, we could very well be coming back with Zack." That was when they allowed themselves to smile all the way to the Turk that waited for them.

"Well… Did I come through for you or what?" The Turks lips curled up again.

Light blue eyes narrowed and silver eyebrows furrowed together and he growled, "Just get us there, Turk."

"Okay, sheesh. Calm down would ya? Oh, the two baby SOLDIER guys are on their way. Guess you're going to be doing a little babysitting aren't ya?"

Genesis turned and when the boys walked up, in full gear, swords and packs slung across their shoulders, he smiled, "Well if it isn't trainee Strife. I thought you would have had enough of us after your little sparring accident."

Shyly, Cloud looked over at the General, only to see him turn and walk away without a word. Nervously shifting his gaze back to Genesis he quietly asked, "Is that what they're calling that these days?"

The red head threw his head back in a laugh that startled the two boys. The blond didn't know that what he said was funny, but then again, to Genesis it might have been. When he clapped his hand on the back of Cloud's neck, he pulled him forward almost nose to nose and very seriously stated, "I wouldn't say that to the silver one if I were you," Finishing with a smile and a nudge, they boarded.

Reno's shouting over the noise of the helicopter caused a grimace from the faces of his audience members, "Hey listen guys, I can't take you all the way to Calchest, but a ground transport will meet you in Nibelheim."

The two SOLDIERs exchanged looks, but said nothing. Sephiroth was surprised by what was going through his mind at the moment, wanting to throttle the Turk. A glance at his leg revealed the red gloved hand of his friend, on top of his black gloved hand. Sometimes he hated it when Genesis seemed to be able to read his mind. He knew that his erratic behavior had gotten some unwanted attention, but he hadn't thought about what it meant in the long run with his second in command.

Silver eyebrows hid well the pale blue of his eyes as he was looking over the boy across from him. Seeing him in a different way, at least while he wasn't trying to kill him during a spar was surprising to him. The tender jaw lines that hung over the gentle neck that would have been so easy for him to break. The milky white skin draped effortlessly over his peaceful cheeks and soft curvature of his chin. His cute nose that was small, but it fit well with the rest of his face. Why he thought that his nose was cute was beyond him. The out of control blond spiky hair that covered his head puzzled him as how it seemed to defy gravity. How he was able to stuff all of it under his helmet during fight training must have been a great venture in patience.

However the most dominating feature that captivated him were his eyes. The deepest blue that harbored awareness, it was intriguing to think of what those eyes had seen to bring about such a look. Subtlety of understanding more than he ever let on, maybe the blond didn't even know what kind of feelings he evoked from the soothing look in his eyes.

Without even realizing as time passed, he had been watching him intently as he conversed with the other boy. A twinkle in the cobalt colored eyes sparked a feeling in him that he couldn't explain. He questioned himself, was it jealousy, aversion or just simple wonder? No, it had to be admiration, an appreciation of his boldness and courage. The way he had stepped forward and challenged him to spar even though he knew that he would most likely end up being sent to the infirmary.

Reno broke him from his thoughts with an announcement, "Here you go fellas, hope it's what you're looking for!"

Unable to really see the small town from the dust that rose into the air from the helicopter, they didn't have to wait long before it dispersed. The early morning air was crisp with a soft breeze that ruffled their hair.

Checking his equipment Genesis tapped the other's shoulder, "We have a couple of hours before the truck gets here. While we are waiting, let's check out the reactor again. Maybe we will find something that we didn't notice nine months ago."

Grunting an affirmative, they headed to the reactor. Yet again, going through town, the residents seemed to run back into their houses, "Nice to see some things never change," That was until something new happened.

"Cloud?!"

A quiet voice from behind the two SOLDIERs spoke to the very well developed young girl, "Hi, Tifa."

"I can't believe it, you came back?" Pulling him out of formation she wrapped her arms around him.

In a quick movement, the General whipped around, "I suppose you are familiar with this girl?"

"Y-yes sir, I grew up here sir," Cloud so wanted to shrink into a ball and let trainee Abbot play kickball with him down the street.

Genesis turned, "Well, then maybe you can help us. Young lady, I hate to interrupt your little reunion, but we have business to take care of if you don't mind."

Wanting to follow her, but not able to refuse his superiors' orders, he bid her goodbye, "I'll try and come see you before we leave."

"Bye Cloud. I'll tell your mom that you're here, she'll want to see you," Her smile jerked him back to his dream world where she smiled like that after he was able to show her exactly how he felt.

Once they reached the path that led to the reactor Sephiroth turned and pounced on the unsuspecting teen, "I want to know everything about this town, the reactor, the people, everything!" The low guttural tone in his voice made an involuntary whimper to pass through the blonde's suddenly colorless lips.

From his back, he stuttered to the larger man that hovered just above him, "Like what sir? W-what you see is pretty much what you get."

"Listen. A SOLDIER first class disappeared in the reactor, there was no way to leave without being seen, and he wasn't seen exiting. So that just leaves one explanation, a secret passage or something equally clever."

Searching his memories furiously from when he was a kid, "When I was younger, there was a story about a cave up in the mountains that led to a weird door. But I never went there, and I'm not even sure I remember where they said it is."

Cloud's head whipped back from the sudden yank. The General had a firm grasp of the front of his SOLDIER trainee uniform and pulled him closer, "Well let's just test out your memory recollection then."

Feeling the painfully focused mako eyes on his back, he tried diligently to remember where the kids had all said where the damn cave was. He figured that it was just a story that the other kids had told him so they could scare him. After all, scaring, hurting and ridiculing him seemed to their favorite past time. Tifa had seemed to be the only one that didn't find pleasure in the taunts.

Although he wasn't quite a third class yet, he was just one mission from his promotion. He and his friend and his fellow trainee, Jamie Abbot, both were looking forward to gaining their rank finally. That was when the real training would begin. The inner workings of the blonde's brain cranked out the hopes that a senior third or maybe even a second would take him as their apprentice just like with Zack and Angeal.

They walked for quite some time, the young blond began to think that he had gotten them all lost. If that was the case, what kind of man would the General turn into this time?

The crimson second in command asked, "Is that it there?"

Looking closer, Cloud couldn't see anything at first, but then again, the man had super eyesight. Playing along with his sudden importance he nodded, "I believe so."

A flash of silver and then red passed him. The two young recruits stood there watching after them when Genesis called after them, "Are you coming?"

Following their lead, the mouth of the cave was covered with a few vines and a large bush off to one side of it. The cold damp air hung heavily as they trekked deeper until they progressed to a door, Cloud asked, "Is that what you're looking for? I don't have a way inside-"

'Stupid door!' Sephiroth hated locked doors, closed doors or just ugly doors. It reminded him of growing up in labs under the supervision of the doctors that his father employed. Painful injections and surgical modifications were a dominate factor that his father had insisted upon. Stating that he didn't want Sephiroth growing up weak, a SOLDIER is what he would become. So there he was, always at the mercy of Dr. Chase. Sephiroth seemed to always be on the other side of a door, always the wrong side, the painful side.

The dark passage stretched before them, taunting them into following it to its conclusion, "Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy." **

**Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning***


	5. Secrets

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Square-Enix, Final Fantasy or any of the characters, wish I did, but I don't.

A/N: I don't have a beta reader, so if there are any mistakes, let me know or just overlook them, it's you're choice. *grinning*

There is a reason for the latin title. Enjoy...

* * *

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass…its learning to dance in the rain." –Unknown

Chapter 5

~Secrets~

The passage was long and disgustingly bleak. Old worn, broken and chipped tile that appeared to have been white at one time littered the way. Wild weeds popped up in cracks and small rodents and an assortment of insects accompanied them as it seemed to widen out into a small area. Vines and cobwebs hung down and draped lazily along the top of what turned out to be an odd room.

Not being able to see like the senior SOLDIERs yet, they had only received a few mako injections, so their full abilities were still many months, possibly years, away. Cloud and Jamie pulled out their flashlights and the brunette recruit found a switch. Flipping said switch revealed the flicker of fluorescent tubes that clicked and blinked until they finally stayed steady.

"I wonder what the hell this place is," Genesis reached over to a book case that was covered in dust and spider webs. Several brown leather bound untitled journals lined one of the shelves.

The tile floor was well worn and faded just as in the passage. The odd and out of place operating table stood silently off to one side of the room. Old and rusty medical equipment that didn't appear to have been used in years sat upon a small table. An eerie perception wormed its way into the shiver that electrified his spine. Sephiroth knew these types of devices; he had seen them and endured the pain that they wrought his whole life.

Genesis's investigation into the journals yielded him a reward of a seemingly foreign language that he had no knowledge of.

The jolt of a metallic clink jerked them out of their wonder. Sephiroth had pulled on a man sized oval shaped door that sat in a recess of the concrete block wall, "I don't believe this!" Sephiroth's wild angry eyes turned to them, "It leads into the reactor."

Genesis roughly brushed past Sephiroth and stepped through the door cursing, "It's disguised as a damn mako tank?!" The exchange of looks between the two senior SOLDIERs sent the questioning back to the other in a dance of utter confusion and disturbing deductions.

Whoever or even whatever that had taken Zack; they left thinking that this secret was safe from prying eyes. However, this room didn't look to be of use, or had been used in such a long time. The only thing that he could fathom was that it was a rebel faction that kidnapped him. They just happened to use this room to accomplish their goals. It couldn't have been for ransom, there had been no demands.

If it was an enemy of Shinra, and it most likely was, they had to find out what they had wanted from a first class. Perhaps it wasn't a first class SOLDIER who was the target that they originally sought, but it was a bonus to get a prize such as that.

Zack was an impressive SOLDIER. His fighting style was effective, but off the wall. Being such a fun loving and big hearted guy, he had the capability of creating a style all his own. In all the different SOLDIERs and enemies that had crossed the path of the red head, no one compared to Zack in spirit.

"Sirs? We are supposed to meet the transport in just under an hour," Cloud adjusted his pack on his shoulders.

"Come on Seph, we can investigate this later. Let's get to the rendezvous point, okay."

The look on Sephiroth's face concerned Genesis, the look was one that in the last few months he had become familiar with. The angry Sephiroth, it was when he seemed not to be in control of all his faculties and could very well become a dangerous man.

Making their way back to the mouth of the cave, the bright afternoon light had Cloud squinting and he didn't see the large root. Rising up from the hard rock-like ground, it stuck up just enough to trip an unsuspecting pedestrian. Strong hands reached out and grabbed the strap of the pack that perched on the blonde's back. Opening his eyes, Cloud looked over the view of the small cliff as it stretched out and down in front of him. The sixty foot drop just waited to claim a victim to its deadly trap. A hitch in his breath, sweat beading on his forehead and the unmistakable tremble of the truly terrified earned him safe passage back on the trail.

"Be more careful, I may not be available next time," Silver hair dangled over his broad shoulder and faintly skimmed the blonde's arm.

"T-thank you sir," Cloud watched as he walked away, back down the trail toward town. Not knowing the meaning of the icy demeanor coming from the General, he decided to keep his distance. Dreadfully recalling the beating he had received at the General's hand just a couple of months ago. He knew that had the man _not_ been under the influence, the spar would have turned out to be more of a learning experience and less of a mauling. Perhaps that was the reason for his distance, he felt bad for his behavior.

Getting back to town, the truck sat idly by as the driver talked on his phone. Once he spotted his passengers, he hung up and hopped behind the wheel. The entire ride to Calchest was going to take about an hour, Cloud and Jamie sat across from the silver General and the red Major. Unable to see his mother and Tifa again before he left was going to require a phone call later. Thinking of all the times when the other boys would follow him home and taunt him into fighting, he felt that this cramped and unpleasant situation trumped that.

Genesis thought that his level of comfort was pretty much at an all-time low. There were several different scenarios that he could put himself in that would be less awkward for him. Sitting naked in front of Lazard and the President while simultaneously getting his hair braided by a ten year old girl; was just one that made him shudder but realized how uncomfortable he actually was.

Out of his peripheral vision he watched Sephiroth as he kept his eyes on the back of the truck, watching the town grow smaller. He could put good money on knowing what the man was thinking about, Zack. What if the sighting and reports were to turn out to be just what they had been waiting for?

Sephiroth was wanting Zack back as much as the man next to him, he still had to remember that it may not turn out the way they have wanted for the last nine months. There was a haunting dream that drifted in his mind almost every night. Angeal holding his student in a deathly embrace, Zack lifeless and limp in the muscular arms of the larger man. Angeal's face was corpse-like, and the ghostly look in Zack's eyes, clouded in a blankness that would never clear, all of their lives forever changed. The thought that it might be a prophetic dream brought a shiver through his bones.

The town shrunk steadily as they drove toward their destination. The boy sitting across from him, the memorable impression that he made on him from the very beginning, aroused his curiosity. Why? Why was he so interested in him? Then the prospect of finding Zack alive excited him. The dust cloud that rose quickly behind them shrouded what little else he could see of the odd little town of Nibelheim. That had to be it; the boy was from that town, finding out what the oddness of the townspeople was truly within his grasp. Perhaps that was what bothered him.

Light blue eyes moved to face the blond, "Strife? Tell me, was Nibelheim always that quiet toward strangers or is it just Shinra personnel?"

The trepidation dropped the trainee's smile almost to a frown; he didn't know what to think about the question at first. Remembering stories that he heard the entire time when he was growing up set it up to be a lost cause to become a Shinra employee. Every time a Shinra executive would show up in town, it turned out to be something else that the people had to sacrifice. Whether it was loss of jobs, a rise in property tax or rent, or sometimes it set the mayor on edge as to how he was going to fix the emotional damage.

Every person in that town knew of the mansion and the link it had to the pain always suffered by the citizens. Even through the stories and frightening sights, his desire to be a SOLDIER kept his eyes on the prize. Isn't it better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path? Cloud's entry into the Shinra family was his attempt to show the very people that bullied him and his mother his whole life would see that he wasn't the loser that they had thought.

"Well sir, yes, Shinra hasn't always had the town or its people in their best interests. As far back as I can remember we have always hidden away when Shinra comes to town. Town records and stories say that since they had the mansion built, that was when the largest changes happened."

Genesis's eyes widened, "What mansion? Are you sure that it was Shinra that built a mansion? We've never heard of it before."

"Yeah, the mansion was built a long time before I was born, but it was always where their personnel stayed when they were in town." Rubbing the back of his head, Cloud twitched in nervous energy, "I'm surprised that you don't know about it."

Long tinsel colored hair draped over his face, solemnly he verbalized, "I'm not surprised. My _father_ can be full of many secrets. Now I know it's more than he ever told me, I wonder what else he is keeping from me."

Jamie, being the ever silent trainee, finally found his voice when he quietly asked, "What exactly is our mission? I mean, we were told it was about a monster infestation, but it seems to be more than that now."

"That is a good question recruit, but it is best left unsaid for now, at least until we see how things play out," Crossing his arms, Genesis looked out the back of the truck, "Plausible deniability."

Jamie ran his fingers through his dark brown hair, "Understood sir."

All Cloud could do was watch Sephiroth sitting across from him. What had happened to the once proud man? Hearing stories of the friendship between Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal were legendary to all the young boys that sought to become a SOLDIER as well.

The confusion that he had just clogged up his thinking, so what was the truth? Was the missing first class they were after actually Angeal? How could that be though, he thought that he had died. The only other first that he had ever heard of was Zack Fair and he wasn't aware that he was even missing. All the other recruits were under the impression that he was on an extended mission in Wutai.

A blond eyebrow rose, "Sir, the mansion, there is more to it than what you see on the outside."

Sad light blue eyes looked up from underneath the silvery bangs, "How so?"

"Well, growing up, I was made fun of a lot and I had a hiding place that no one else knew about. The mansion filled that purpose because all the other kids wouldn't go near it."

Genesis sat forward, his intense eyes pierced through Cloud's quiet exterior, "Well, we have time. Why don't you enlighten us?"

Cloud cleared his throat, glanced at Jamie and then back to the more than interested firsts that sat in front of him, "I was about eleven when I first broke in… "

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy." **

**Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning***


	6. Angeal's Legacy

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the characters. I wish I did, but I don't.

A/N: I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!  
This chapter is rated **M** as it involves talk of suicide. If you are easily upset about this subject, please don't read, if you are and want to read it anyway, don't get mad at me. Read at your own risk.

* * *

"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." –Unknown

Chapter 6

~Angeal's Legacy~

"It was weird. The executives seemed preoccupied with other things that didn't even look like what they said that their job descriptions were," Cloud's nervousness peeked through his calm tone, "The phone calls, the way they seemed restless, but still maintained the appearance of authority to the town."

A calm, cold voice spoke from the General's direction, "I am not sure I understand what you are getting at. Restless? What about?"

"Well I heard them talking about resistance groups in Wutai, Midgar and Nibelheim. They said something about the groups wanting revenge for something," Deep blue eyes searched both firsts, waiting for some kind of response.

When Genesis spoke, Sephiroth lowered his eyes as if in shame, "Then it had to have been a resistance group that took him, just like with…." Genesis paused, "Which group is still unknown," A reassuring hand went to the black gloved hand of the saddened General, "We _will_ find out which one it is."

Genesis thought about Sephiroth and what he knew was going through his mind, Angeal. The three of them had been close, the best of friends. As serious as Angeal was, he was still the one who was able to really get Sephiroth out of his shell. With Angeal's urging, the stuffy General let loose and learned to have a good time outside of his job.

When Angeal took on an apprentice, Sephiroth had displayed a jealousness of Zack. After all, Zack was taking Angeal and some of his attention away. If there was one thing that you could always count on in Sephiroth, it was his uncanny ability to be territorial of just about anything or anyone. On many occasions, when Zack wasn't around, Angeal had to spend extra time with him. Zack received nothing but a cold shoulder and frigid nature from him.

Zack had always taken it in stride, as if knowing what was upsetting to him. Without a thought, when all four of them were together, the dark haired student took a step back to give Sephiroth room with the dark haired first. However, without even realizing it, Zack had wedged himself firmly into the cold heart of the lonely President's son.

That was when it happened.

Angeal was sent on a mission and Sephiroth and Genesis generously took over training his student and getting him ready to be promoted to first. The entire time that Angeal was gone, all five months, they never got any correspondence from him. When they questioned the director, they were told that there was no way to get letters or phone calls in or out. It would jeopardize the mission. They were satisfied with that answer; it had been many times that they were in the same position.

The problem occurred when he returned. Angeal was different and there was no confusion about it. If only the signs had been noticed and spoken of at the very beginning.

The day that Angeal came back was when all their lives changed…

_Sephiroth's smile was without a doubt, dominating his face. He had missed his friend and the debriefing was just a formality, "Angeal, as you know, this is being recorded so there isn't any misunderstanding or anything missed."_

_Angeal's nervous glances caught the attention of the red head that stood behind Sephiroth. Knowing full well that Zack was watching from behind the one sided glass, Genesis asked as a concerned friend, "Angeal, is everything alright? You look a little upset."_

_Angeal's hands went to his hair, mussing it, "Y-yeah, just tired… Let's just get this done…" Throughout the debriefing, Angeal's eyes never seemed to be able to stay on one thing for very long. Sweaty and fidgeting, he couldn't sit still under the imagined scrutiny. _

"_Alright, Angeal, my friend, I think you need to get to your apartment and shower. Why don't you take some time and get some sleep too," Sephiroth's hand reached out and grasped one of the shoulders of the other first. Angeal almost jumped through the glass wall next to him, "Angeal!"_

"_S-sorry, I'm just tired, that's all," Without thinking, Angeal grabbed Zack and pulled him along with him to the apartment. _

_Zack looked back at the two astonished men with a perplexed look of his own, "I'll make sure he gets some rest-" Angeal jerked his arm and rushed around the corner. Not able to follow immediately, once they were finished with all the paperwork they would drop by his apartment._

_An hour later, both firsts opened the door to their friend's apartment. Finding Zack unconscious on the floor in the overly clean apartment, the search was on for Angeal, "Zack! Wake up!" Genesis finally getting a response from Zack, the Major asked, "What happened?!"_

"_I don't… I don't know. He got a shower while I was out here watching TV. Next thing I know, you're here."_

_Rushing to open the bedroom door, Sephiroth stood bordered in the door frame and then he froze, "Angeal? What… what are you doing?"_

_All three men stood in the doorway looking at Angeal; he was simply dressed in boxers as he huddled in one corner of the room. His hair had been wet and lay in a mess on his head, uncombed. Sephiroth stepped closer and that was when Angeal lost his last bit of control. Wild and scared eyes startled, looking first to Sephiroth then Zack. A glimpse of a frightened man that no longer resembled Angeal whimpered in emotional pain. No one saw where the knife came from, but Zack dove for the cowering man and Sephiroth jerked forward trying to grab the weapon. With a swift movement, the blade sliced through the skin on Zack's hand and Sephiroth's sleeve._

_By the time that Genesis took a hold of Angeal's wrist, it was already too late. A glint of metal shined in the afternoon sun through the window as it pulsed with the beat of the heart that filled the main artery with blood in the well-muscled neck. The surge of thick red liquid misted the horrified faces of the three SOLDIERs that witnessed the life that was taken that day._

It just didn't make any sense. From the moment that they found out that Zack was missing, Sephiroth unintentionally re-lived that moment many times. The student had become a permanent fixture that Sephiroth had gotten used to and missed a great deal. A lot of it was that Zack was the last thing that Angeal had clung to, that he cared for and loved as he would a son.

Thinking that whatever had happened to his friend, would happen to the young man that was put in his care. He had made a promise to Angeal before he left on that last mission, 'Take care of Zack, keep him focused in his studies and his training. And Seph, don't let him talk you into letting him out of classes.' The smile on the face of his friend that day was what he wanted to remember. However, it was the face that appeared so scared when he looked at him just before his death. He seemed like two different people then.

At this point, he only wanted to know what the resistance had done to him that would cause such a proud man to resort to taking his life. Honor, loyalty and friendship were things that Angeal had lived for, had taught and his student was left as Angeal's legacy.

The jostle of the truck on rough roads jiggled the men in their seats, all with thoughts of their own that were not to be shared, at least right now.

Rustling the blond hair on his head, his thinking went from one thing to another. Just being trainees, lower than thirds, he and Jamie were not privy to the actual information on missions, the superiors in the field would deem it a need to know basis. If this was a rescue mission, he was fine with that, but he wasn't able to shake the feeling that he was in the middle of something that he didn't want to be part of.

Breaking him out of his thoughts, the movement of the truck slowing down brought his attention to the back of the truck. He had been so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't realize that they had arrived in Calchest.

"Let's go Strife. We have a mission to finish," Genesis gracefully jumped from the back of the truck, followed closely by Sephiroth.

Cloud attempted to do the same; however, with the General and his second in command right there watching him, he lost his footing. Landing hard on his stomach, a small puff of dust rose to the occasion and lightly coated his face and arms. From the ground, he could hear a huffing laugh from one of the two firsts, most likely Genesis, and muffled laughter from his fellow trainee, "Shut up Jamie."

"Sorry Cloud, but that was really funny," Jamie helped him to his feet and then pointed, "Hey, come on, they're leaving us."

Dusting himself off, he followed both of the older men. Furrowing his eyebrows, he wondered out loud, "Why are they headed for the hospital?" When they caught up, they followed the silent men as they walked through the quiet hallways to the back part of the hospital. Glancing at the door, Cloud noticed the sign.

_Psychiatric Ward  
No Admittance without Proper Identification_

Sephiroth couldn't seem to get there fast enough. Passing the sign that indicated the ward, a feeling of nausea hit him. If it were Zack that he was going to see, would he be in the same condition that Angeal had been in? The sudden urge to retch caused him to pause in his stride. He made himself take a few deep breaths; he hated hospitals and hated them even more when a friend might be in one.

"You okay Seph?"

Clutching his knees while leaning against the wall, he nodded to Genesis. From between the strands of his flowing silver hair, Cloud saw the eyes that indicated to him that the animal in him was just below the surface. It was ready at any time to release its inner pain. Slowing his pace, Jamie soon followed suit so as not to crowd the large antsy man.

"Let's get this done," Brushing past his red friend, the silver haired one pushed past another inner door. The nurse's station stood proudly in the middle like a small island in a lake of insanity.

Among the sounds of roughly three people in locked rooms, Cloud tried to determine what was happening. Here they were in a psychiatric ward with the sounds of one person crying, one person screaming, whether it was in pain or not was yet to be determined. The third person sounded like they may be laughing, but then again, it also could have been crying. The four doors that lined the hallway on one side had small windows that had reinforced glass with steel mesh.

Applause erupted from the larger day room followed by canned laughter from a television program.

"Excuse me! Do you have authorization to be here?!" The frantic nurse quickly bounced her way around the desk and stupidly grabbed a hold of Sephiroth's sleeve. To the horror of the two recruits, Sephiroth turned on her in a display of sickened rage.

With quick deft movements, Genesis wedged himself between the two sudden rivals, "I'm sorry ma'am, but this is General Sephiroth and I am Genesis from SOLDIER. We received a call that you had a patient here that needed our attention."

Taking her arm from Genesis's softer grasp, the overly healthy woman glanced back and forth between the two firsts, then over to the two younger men. Nervously she began to speak to the four men, "Yes, we do. It's been days. What took you so long to get here?" Grabbing a set of keys from the desk she started walking toward a door, "He certainly isn't hard on the eyes, but we do have trouble controlling him at times. He is really strong and the meds don't seem to work very well on him…"

The click of the lock and the door swung open. There sitting on the floor in the corner, legs drawn up, his arms wrapped around them and his forehead resting on his knees, was Lieutenant Zack Fair, SOLDIER First Class.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all of you who read, favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	7. Clouds in His Eyes

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"The greatest advantage of speaking the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said." –Unknown

Chapter 7

~Clouds in His Eyes~

His hair was quite long, but it was obvious to them that Zack was the man that sat in the corner. Not seemingly hearing the entrance of his visitors, his face remained down. His only attire was a pair of hospital blue boxer briefs that appeared to be two sizes too big. The instant connection sparked in both firsts' minds, Angeal and what he had looked like just before his death.

The nurse asked the taller first class, "What is his name? He never told us, we've just been calling him Ben."

Dropping his eyes, in the quietest voice, Sephiroth said, "His name is Zackary."

At the mention of his name, his head rose a little. The length of his hair covered his face, but the unmistakable glow of aquamarine mako eyes shone through the thick strands of black spikes. It gave his true identity away.

The nurse moved gently forward, stepping past his hospital gown that he had shed onto the floor, "Zackary? Is that your name?"

Raising his head more, he looked away from the nurse and found the eyes of his former teachers and friends. Not saying a word, his gaze wilted into a look of a frightened child. The muscle tone that was indicative of a first class still graced his large frame. However, quivering under his skin, the muscles twitched in a type of gentle convulsion.

"Zack, we've come to take you home," Genesis didn't know what to say, what to do. The General that stood next to him was falling apart just by the sight of the pure alarm coming from the recoiled man.

The soft sway of his black tresses built up a rhythm that hid and then revealed his eyes, tears surged, but did not fall.

Peeking around the corner, Cloud's dark blue eyes faintly glowed in curiosity. The Zack Fair that he had heard of was a massive man, full of life, loud laughter and found the positive in everything. This Zack Fair was not that man; this one was scared of something and not altogether there. The bright glow of the mako in Zack's eyes met those of the soft glow in Cloud's.

The change in his eyes was subtle, but it softened. The frightened glaze over his eyes decreased and he began to raise his head higher. Deafening was the look, if it were sound; all the ears in the room would be straining from the volume. A loud squeal of tires, the whine of a siren or even the wail of a man who has lost everything, that was the look that Cloud was caught in. However the glimpse in those eyes beseeched him to help, to be a crutch for him in this moment of need.

Swirling in madness was a whirlpool of mellow castings of shells that used to be people, normal people. Sneaking up, quiet and slowly and without knowing it, it had Cloud ensnared in the trap.

Genesis and Sephiroth looked back at the recruit and their joint concern for Zack drew them both to the same conclusion. The way that Angeal had acted that day, he wouldn't let Zack out of his sight. Even though Zack had been on the other side of the one way mirror, Angeal kept a constantly unsettled eye on it. It was as if he was able to see the boy, bonded in some way to him through the man's derangement. Perhaps this was the same.

Quietly whispering behind him, Genesis reached to pull Cloud around the door frame and see what would happen. However, his efforts were short lived when the blond ducked back, out of his reach and out further down the hall, "Strife, we need your help."

"Why me? Why do you need me?"

"I just want to see what he does, please help us," Genesis pleaded with meek enthusiasm, "We won't let him hurt you, I promise."

Cloud looked at Jamie and questioned, but Jamie was of no help, "Don't look at me, I'm not the one he seems to have a thing for."

"That doesn't help me at all Jamie, thanks so much," Turning back to Genesis, "Sir, I would like to respectfully decline. I don't think that anything that I do will help," Cloud's tentative steps backward were soon steadily increasing in speed.

Watching the blond backing away from him sent a streak of anger that Genesis hadn't felt in a very long time. What was he to do? They finally had Zack in their grasp and the only other way to get him back to Midgar was to use force. Not knowing what that would do to him in the long run made up his mind that this boy would be the one to help. If Zack trusted this boy as his gaze indicated, this was their taming rod for the black haired SOLDIER, "Strife! Stop right there! That is an order!"

He froze, he had been given an order by his superior officer, but in his heart he didn't want to comply. What if the insanity that the man was swimming in consumed him too and caused his ultimate death or maiming? This is the very thing that he was afraid of getting in the middle of. The feeling of walking into a room where two people had just argued, the palpable tension caressed his body, "Sir?"

"You heard me. Don't make me use force on you," The next threat was something that he wished never came out, but it did and the blond flinched at the implication, "Your promotion is on the line. All I have to do is fail to sign your papers. It's that simple."

This is the feeling of betrayal; he had felt it before, "Sir!"

"I'm sorry, but he is important to us, we need to get him back. Please understand," Out of habit, he pulled his hand back and grasp the grip of his rapier.

"You want to throw me to the wolves. You don't know what he wants from me," Cloud stepped back again, "You can't ask this of me."

Narrowing his eyes, Genesis instantly put his other hand out as he began to pull his sword, "You can go in there conscious or unconscious. It does not matter to me one way or the other."

He couldn't believe he was hearing this. Looking at Jamie, his eyes were big as saucers; he backed away as he found a defensible spot, away from both Genesis and Cloud.

The blonde's fists clenched and his jaw ticked in a broken beat. The small amount of mako in his body began to make his eyes glow the brightest they had ever been. In almost a whisper he complied, "…Yes Sir…"

Dropping his hand from his sword, a stressed smile crossed his face, "I'll be right next to you, so don't worry."

An internal giggle shook him at the feeling of impending doom. Having the Major and the General right there still didn't guarantee that one swift move on Zack's part wouldn't kill him instantly. Perhaps they both forgot that he wasn't enhanced nearly as much as they were. Cloud knew that he wasn't a baby, but right now, he sure as hell felt like one.

Peeking back around the corner he froze when the bright glow found him again. The stare was unnerving to say the least and at the unwanted encouragement from Genesis, Cloud entered the doorway.

Once Cloud was sufficiently in the room Zack reacted, not exactly the way that the blond expected. Zack titled his head while maintaining the uncomfortable eye contact making Cloud want to twitch.

A low and calm voice from behind the blond startled him, "Zackary, this is Cloud," An unwelcomed hand gently pushed the reluctant recruit toward the quiet and bizarre man.

This was not exactly how he thought his final mission exam would go. He just hoped that by getting him back to Midgar, he would then get his rank and be able to get on with his career. Looking down at him, he seemed so sad and frightened. There was a part of him that wanted to get down on the floor and try to comfort him, however, his brain protested tirelessly.

"Strife, say something to him," It had to be Genesis that would tell him something like that. What did he get himself into?

Clearing his throat, he trained his voice to be soothing. Setting him off into a frenzy of a mako crazy man-fit wasn't on his list of things to do today, "Hi Lieutenant Fair." Zack's lips moved, but no perceptible sound was heard. So Cloud cautiously asked, "What? Did you say something?"

Another whisper, still very quiet, but Cloud heard him this time, "Zack."

"Zack? You want me to call you Zack?" His head rose higher until he was almost sitting up straight and he nodded his head in very small movements, "Okay, Zack. I'm Cloud."

"Cloud," Never leaving his gaze from his eyes for a moment, he repeated his name again, "Cloud."

A small smile crossed Cloud's features as he turned slightly to Genesis and asked from over his shoulder, "What do you want me to do now?"

Before the answer came, Zack leapt to his feet and in a display of his agility, swung around with his arm and in the process, grabbed Cloud's wrist and yanked him forward, back to his corner. A screech of terror left what could have only been the teen who was suddenly painlessly thrashed around the small room. Placing Cloud quickly but carefully where he was sitting close to him, the dark haired man kept his wrist in his clutching fist. The recruit's breathing increased and he nervously looked at the shocked firsts that stood before them.

"I'll go get a shot," The nurse suggested, but Sephiroth stopped her.

Blocking the nurse from leaving, Sephiroth chose to take a risk, "I believe it is okay now."

Cloud was sure that the pounding of the heart in his chest was heard by the others in the room. A sweat broke out on his forehead and back as Zack continued to hold his wrist. When his grip started to become painful, a hiss of pain brought Zack's attention back up to Cloud's face. Panic was the only way to describe what was going through his mind at the thoughts of all the different ways that the man could kill him. Cloud's blue eyes danced back and forth quickly between the two standing SOLDIERs, waiting for them to rescue him or do something.

Zack leaned over to Cloud's ear and in another soft whisper his breath heated the side of his face, "Are you here to help me?" Cloud swallowed hard, making an audible noise and nodded hesitantly.

"Can I help you gentlemen?!" When the firsts turned, the sight of a portly man in his middle forties, dressed in a white lab coat made a shudder of disgust run through Sephiroth, "I am the doctor on duty and the interference with my patient without the doctor's consent is against hospital policy."

"Hospital policy?!" Sephiroth reached for his sword, "I'll show you hospital poli-"

Genesis yet again jumped between Sephiroth and the source of his agitation, "What the General means is that we are here to retrieve him and take him back home." Pulling out some credentials, the doctor looked them over.

"Well then, I guess everything is in order. Nurse, please go make copies of all his records and get them his few belongings." The doctor paused, "We have had a tough time with him. I hope everything works out, he is still so young."

When the doctor left, Genesis turned to Cloud who was now leaning away from Zack, trying to keep a level of distance as the larger man still held onto the blonde's wrist, "Alright, Strife, let's get him up, dressed and out of here."

Zack still sat facing the recruit, seemingly studying him, "Sir, I have no idea what to do here. Do you have any advice on what I should do?"

"I suggest that you are careful," Sephiroth's less than helpful answer earned him an eye roll from Cloud.

Out of the corner of his eye, he kept a vigilant watch on his new charge. Even though Zack's gaze was no longer trained on him, his hand still held a weak grip on the smaller man's wrist. Trying to pull his arm from him, the grip instantly tightened, Cloud's hand turned red and he ceased trying to move away, "Okay Zack, don't squeeze so hard, you're hurting me." Loosening his grip, Cloud sighed in relief.

The nurse reappeared with a small hospital bag and a medical file and gave it all to Genesis, "Let's go, I'll have trainee Abbot go and ready the transport back to Nibelheim to meet the helicopter."

At the mention of Nibelheim, Zack dropped his face back down to his bent knees and whimpered, "No, please…"

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	8. It's Always About You

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"Try not to hate the haters, smile knowing their thinking about you." –Unknown

Chapter 8

~It's Always About You~

A bottomless abyss of aqua blue, haunting the very spirit of the younger man, he seemed to wait for something, but not knowing what it was. Utterly fascinated by the off behavior of the strange man beside him, always talking in a whisper it seemed. The focus of the General and his second in command encouraged him to communicate with the newly found First Class.

This was all new territory for him, he didn't know what to do, he just wanted to get back to his training at headquarters. However, his duty right then was to get this man out of the hospital and on the truck. How hard could it be?

When the blond cleared his throat, Zack looked at him, waiting, peering at him through his disheveled spikes, "Zack? Are you ready to go back home?"

The bright illumination from his eyes dimmed as he whispered, "Home? Mom, Dad?"

"Um… no. I mean Midgar. Are you ready to go back to Midgar?"

Instead of a whisper, he just mouthed the word, "Midgar," Zack lowered his eyes and sadness fell over him again. Cloud was reluctant at the prospect of breaking the trance that Zack seemed to put himself in.

Sephiroth held the small bag that the nurse had brought and Genesis silently nudged Cloud into getting Zack motivated. Without trying to pull his wrist from the firm grip, he scooted off the floor and into a crouch. Momentarily tightening his hold on the younger boy, he slowly followed him until they both were standing.

"Okay, what now?" Cloud's level of comfort lowered even more when Zack stepped closer to his side, towering over the agitated blond. Looking straight ahead at Zack's chin and throat, he was trying to keep from getting caught in those dazzling eyes that were hypnotizing.

The area that Cloud considered his space, invaded by a stranger, how much worse could it get? The aqua eyes lowered, blankly looking at the floor, glazed in a daze of a far off daydream. Genesis grabbed a pair of hospital pants and bent down to attempt to put them on the solemn man. With a little encouragement from the blond, the pants tied at his waist and a makeshift shirt made from a hospital gown draped over his muscular shoulders. A slight touch from Genesis caused Zack to jump and he almost leapt on to Cloud.

Getting him calmed was difficult to say the least. While he stepped backward, against the wall, he took the blond with him, his eyes welled up in fear. Holding his hands up, Genesis quietly said, "It's okay Zack."

Pulling away from the muscular chest, Cloud calmly spoke, "Come on Zack, we're just trying to get you out of here." Finally getting him moving, Genesis strapped the pack on Cloud's back and they marched Zack out of the hospital.

Approaching the truck, the reassurance that the recruit showed Zack eventually got him in the back of the truck. The dark-haired SOLDIER promptly pulled Cloud to the farthest seat from the tailgate.

The closer that they got to Nibelheim, the behavior of the newest member of the group suggested his disapproval. The fidgeting and inability to stay in a seated position revealed more than the two firsts were ready to admit. The grip on the blonde's wrist never let up and anytime the recruit moved to far away from the anxious man, his hold would tighten. At times, the boy's hand would begin to turn a terrible shade of red until he was able to get Zack to loosen his grasp.

"What am I supposed to do when we get back to Midgar? I mean I can't exactly stay with him like this forever," Pleading a silent prayer in his head, it jumped in his brain, waiting for the answer that he desperately wanted to hear.

Looking up from the file that the doctor had given them, the Major tried to reassure the boy, "When we get back, I'm sure that Dr. Chase will be able to handle it from there. Then you will be able to get back to your training," Readjusting his long red leather coat out from underneath him, he returned his attention back to the file.

The things that the doctors and nurses observed in just a few days weren't earth shattering, but with it being Zack, it was astounding. Going over this with Dr. Chase would be interesting to say the least. Just knowing that foreign hands had touched one of his prized SOLDIERs would possibly start a temper tantrum of almost epic proportions.

That was one thing that everyone had noticed about the Doctor. He was quiet, polite and rather good-looking but very possessive, very similar to Sephiroth. He was tall, had very dark brown eyes and dark brown hair that had wisps of bangs just over his eyebrows and a solid chiseled jaw line. The prowess that he had with the female nurses and assistants in the labs and clinic were something that they discussed at length by the other women. With a smile on his lips, Genesis would eavesdrop just to make his day a little more interesting.

The most recent gossip that he had heard was that the doctor had begun to delve into a few relationships with some of the men that worked at Shinra. Whether it was true or not was something that he would more than likely hear at some point.

The doctor, however, would be immensely interested in the condition and mental state in the youngest First Class.

Of course they also had to contend with the fake mission that resulted in Zack's retrieval. Lazard was sure to hand out their punishments and he was positive of what it might entail. Probably heading up a small battalion of misfit soldiers out in the middle of nowhere. He could handle that, as long as he knew that Zack was safe again.

Sitting there now, studying the man who once was so full of life and laughs, unable to focus on one thing for too long had them thinking too much. Glancing at the man next to him, the General's aura felt a little more solemn than his usual calm. The bounce and wobble of the truck on the road jerked all five men in unison, but not strong enough to shake them out of their thoughts. Silence surrounded all of them.

Sephiroth's piercing eyes couldn't look away from him. The youngest of the three First Classes that had somehow cemented himself into Sephiroth's life was no longer the one he remembered. Angeal had trusted him, 'take care of Zack', he had said. A promise is a promise and damned if he felt as though he had shattered that promise into a thousand pieces. The shards had become small sharp pieces that would cut the deepest every time Angeal's face would haunt his dreams.

Perhaps that is why he turned to the dangerous habit of abusing himself in various ways. The stress of losing sleep because Angeal's and Zack's faces kept him from forgetting. The stress of losing two of his closest friends was almost more than he could bear.

What would Angeal say now? Would he blame him, the General of SOLDIER? After all, it happened under his watchful eyes that Zack had succumbed to obvious mistreatment and torture. There was one thing that he could do and he would do regardless of what his father said, he would put Zack under suicide watch. He would be damned if that was going to happen to the only link he had left to Angeal.

"Seph? What is going through that head of yours?" Genesis's upper body got tossed harshly to one side when the truck hit a bump. The small smile that told him that everything was going to work out never left his face.

"…" What would he say? He didn't want to divulge sensitive and confidential information in front of the two young trainees. However, he knew that Genesis wouldn't be satisfied with a lack of answer, "I was just thinking that we need to put a guard on Zack 24/7."

Genesis had to smile; he had thought the same thing right before he asked him, "I agree."

The bounce of the truck stopped as they pulled into Nibelheim. Cloud and Zack were the last ones to exit and getting the brunette to cooperate was a daunting task. Pulling on his arm as he tried to tell Zack what the cadet expected of him was a feeble attempt, "Come on, we need to get… out… of… the… truck." A body full of frustration was all that Cloud had become. For the last few hours, the strange man held his wrist, without a thought or explanation. He had been so used to not being touched that the constant physical contact began to wear on his nerves.

"Enough with asking nicely," Standing up without another word, awarded him with the grip tightening, but the man stood up next to him, "Good! Now come on, let's get out of this truck." He pulled him along and they got down on the ground safely.

Zack's eyes remained down, seemingly afraid to look around, but he stayed right next to the blond.

"Hey Seph, Reno will be here anytime," Genesis tucked the file into the pack on the blonde's back, "Now Strife, let's just get him back and then your promotion is just right around the corner." A hard slap to his back shoved him a little and a small chuckle came from the crimson Soldier.

He thought then that maybe having a grown man hanging off his arm wouldn't be so bad, that was until the man whispered to him. His face turned a bright shade of red, his eyes rolled involuntarily and a deep irritated sigh escaped his throat. Under his breath he whispered, "I don't believe this…," Completely forgetting that his two superiors had very good hearing.

"What's that Strife?"

The General did not look like he was in the mood to talk, so when he answered, he tried not to sound too much like a whiner, "Zack told me he has to go to the bathroom."

Raising one silver eyebrow that slightly shined in the evening sunset he inquired, "So what is the problem?"

"Sir?"

"Take him to the bathroom."

With a panic attack imminent, he began trying to figure out what to do. There was no way that they would let them into the inn or any of the stores. His only other option was his house, where his mother would be there with a million questions. Resigning himself to his embarrassing fate, he led Zack over to his house, "Mom?"

When Cloud yelled for his mother, Zack didn't look up from the ground, but he whispered, "Mom…"

The beautiful woman who cursed him with her feminine features, walked from around the corner, "Cloud! Hi baby! How have you been? Tifa told me you were here and would come see me," Wrapping her arms around him, it was difficult with Zack in the way, but she squeezed him tightly anyway. Finally letting go, she stepped back and looked him up and down, "You look awfully skinny, are you eating well? You've gotten a little taller; they must be giving you vitamins or is it the mako?" Cupping his face in her hands she inspected him closer, "Speaking of mako, look at your eyes, they are so much brighter, it's eerie. I don't know if I like it. I have missed you so much."

Taking his arm that someone wasn't attached to, she held in out and turned him slightly and then glanced quickly at the odd man at his side. Returning her eyes to him, she continued, "You look too pale. Are you getting enough exercise? Well of course you are, look at all the muscles you have-"

"Mom, please. Let me say something," Cloud took a breath and his mother's smile remained as radiant as he remembered, "Yes we are here on a mission, but I can't stay. That is sort of why I am here. I need to take him to the bathroom."

"What is wrong with him? He looks terrible," She shuffled out of Cloud's way as he walked Zack down the hallway.

"I don't know what is wrong with him, that is why we were here," Cloud pushed on Zack so that he would go into the bathroom, but he wouldn't let go of his wrist, "This has to be the most messed up situation I have ever been in." Finally relenting, he followed Zack into the bathroom and allowed him to hold his wrist as he thankfully used his other hand to pee. Within the tiny bathroom, Cloud tried to imagine himself in a larger space.

The large bathrooms and showers from the barracks suddenly didn't seem so bad. While Zack used the toilet, Cloud scanned over the wall and noticed a picture of a surprised young blond boy. An anger rose when he thought about the fight that he put up about that picture, "I sure hope that no one else needs to use the bathroom."

As he led Zack toward the front door, Cloud scowled, "Mom, take down that picture of me!"

"But sweetie, you're so cute!"

"Mother… A picture of me at six years old, in the bathtub is not cute and I don't want anyone to see it."

"Well alright, but Tifa thought it was cute."

If ever he wanted to crawl under a rock, it was then. Slapping his palm to his face, the thought of Tifa seeing it just drove in his need to disappear. How was he supposed to look at her in the eyes now? The sound of a helicopter shook him out of his thoughts and he expedited his goodbyes to his mother and then met the others at the helicopter with Zack in tow.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	9. Say Hello To The New Zack Fair

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"Even the strong need someone to tell them it's alright." –Unknown

Chapter 9

~Say Hello to the New Zack Fair~

The noise from the helicopter was something that Cloud dreaded. Judging from his behavior so far, it was going to be an interesting endeavor. However, the loud engine and rotor racket didn't seem to bother the brunette on Cloud's arm. In fact, it looked as though he relaxed and his grip loosened a little. Cloud had to lean to the man's ear to be heard, "Zack? Do you like helicopters?"

The bright glow of Zack's eyes never seemed to diminish which he thought was kind of odd. The blond had noticed that his own eyes had begun to glow to go along with his emotions, but Zack's hadn't stopped at all. With an almost burning fire of a glow, the man looked up and made eye contact with him and mouthed the word, "Yes…"

Once Reno landed, without thinking, Sephiroth took a hold of Zack's arm and began to escort him to the side door to the passenger hold.

Zack let out a scream that could only be described as anguish mixed with fear and he promptly released Cloud. In a blinding flash, Zack had Sephiroth on the ground and went for Genesis. Once Genesis was grounded, Sephiroth had regained his footing and took a stance of defense. Instead of going for Sephiroth again, the angry blur of madness swept around them and pulled Cloud to him, again holding his wrist.

Dusting himself off, he wiped the blood from his lips, a very displeased Genesis yelled the million Gil question, "What in the great Gaia was that?"

"Genesis, don't look at me that way. I was trying to get him to the helicopter," Sephiroth nursed his blackening eye and obvious broken wrist.

Fighting off the almost overwhelming urge to flee, with or without Zack, Cloud observed nervously, "I don't think he likes to be touched." Cloud's ability to form coherent thoughts was seizing up.

Without thinking, Jamie spurt out, "No shit!"

"Alright let's get a move on, I got to get back, I have a date- What the…?" Reno looked around at the scene of strange chaos.

"Nothing, let's just get back," Sephiroth increased his speed to the helicopter, in almost a walk of embarrassment.

Squishing his own fear and panic down, Cloud stammered to Zack, "C-come on." The walk to the helicopter started out a little harder than anticipated. As Cloud pulled Zack along, the vice like grip tightened and the blond was basically dragging him. Taking a gamble that if the brunette really didn't want to go the helicopter, he would simply let go of his arm.

Four sets of eyes watched the blond tug his way to them with a less than enthusiastic full grown SOLDIER pulling back. Sephiroth had to give the kid credit. Without anyone being able to touch him, he was handling Zack pretty well. Not only was Zack strong in spirit, but he was physically one of the strongest among the other SOLDIERs.

"Zack, come on…" The strain of his voice was coupled with the extra exertion that his body was in right then. Tight cords of tendons and muscles stretched and his neck no longer resembled the fragile one that the blond sported regularly. Cloud's eyes were squeezed shut and grunts of struggle were almost comical, but he _was_ pulling Zack ever closer to the helicopter.

Finally tiring himself and only moving him a grand total of one inch, Cloud turned to Zack in a frustrated gesture and yelled to him over the noise of the chopper, "I'm going whether you are with me or not!"

Yielding to the recruit, he complied and climbed into the helicopter, with the smaller wrist still in his hand. The entire ride, Zack sat flush against his blond safety net, holding onto him as if his life depended on it. The red SOLDIER couldn't help but wonder what had happened to his friend.

Reaching the rooftop of the Shinra building just as the sun was rising, everyone except two jumped down to the rough ground. With several coaxing words and reassurances, Cloud was able to get Zack out and into the elevator that would take them to Dr. Brady Chase.

The sound of clip boards, pens and files full of papers were heard dropping all along their path. The mumblings gathered to each other creating a louder unintelligible blob of words.

Genesis glanced at Jamie, "You are dismissed, report to the barracks officer and get ready to go to training this morning."

With a _swoosh, _they walked into the lab and office of the Doctor, "What-?" Rounding the desk in record time, his hand extended out and before Cloud could protest, Chase touched him and Zack lost his small amount of composure.

"Gl… ga- fee…," From under Zack's free hand that wrapped his throat was all that Chase could manage to get out. Cloud pulled back, taking Zack with him while Sephiroth and Genesis did their best to release the death grip on Chase's reddened throat without touching Zack.

"Zack! Come with me," Cloud again strained to pull the taller angry man back.

Once Zack stood next to Cloud, his head hung low as he focused on the floor. His long black hair mussed and blocking most of his vision. Cloud unconsciously patted the top of Zack's hand that held onto him and cooed a shhh to him. In response, Zack stepped closer until most of his upper body touched the upper body of the slightly shorter man.

Regaining some semblance of composure, Chase readjusted his tie and tucked his shirt back in, "What is all this about?" The Doctor sounded a bit shaken and reasonably so.

"We found him on a mission and promptly brought him back," Sephiroth still nursed his wrist.

The Doctor was kicking himself for just now noticing the condition of Genesis and Sephiroth, "What happened to you?"

Genesis began walking through the door to the one room clinic attached to his office, "Funny you should ask. Seph touched him."

"Why is he holding on to Strife like that?"

Sephiroth's face never twitched or moved from the pain as Chase set it and wrapped an immobilizer on it, "He seems to like him and he is the only one that he will allow to touch him."

Rifling through the pack on Cloud's back, Genesis pulled out the slim file and tossed it onto the desk, "Cloud also seems to be the only one who can get him to do anything or go anywhere."

"Give it a couple of days, your mako and Jenova cells will have you better in no time," The doctor finished up with Sephiroth's wrist and lightly slapped a cold compress onto his eye, while he got another one for Genesis's mouth, "How am I supposed to examine him if he won't let anyone near him?"

The General slid off the examination table and asked coldly, "Aren't you the one who tells anyone who'll listen that you're the genius? Can't you figure it out?"

Cloud stood and listened, but he couldn't help but get angry, "What about me? I have a training schedule to keep."

The three men standing in front of him stared until the Doctor said, "Well let's get him in a room and then you can go. Sound fair?"

"Yes Sir."

"Seph, we still need to go see Lazard and explain why we are back a day early," Genesis grazed a glance at the nervous blond, "Once he is settled in a room, go ahead and report to your superior training officer. You will be hearing from us in a few days."

Not being able to salute because of the large hand holding onto him, the two firsts nodded in understanding, "Yes Sir."

"Nurse, get the enclosed room ready for Lieutenant Fair," The Doctor returned to his desk and shuffled through papers until he found one in particular, "Shall we get him dislodged from you now?"

"Yes, please."

Leading the two men down the hall, the door that they approached looked very similar to the one that Zack was in back in Calchest, "Here we go."

Pulling the man into the room, Cloud was suddenly hit with a realization when Zack refused to release him. A small wrestling match ensued when Zack finally let go and Cloud fell over across the bed.

When the blond stood up, Zack was unmoving, frozen in place. The look that he got from him was almost heartbreaking. The glow dimmed and was replaced with a welling of tears. Nothing was said, just the look of torment and sadness. Cloud backed away toward the door, "I'm sorry Lieutenant. I just need to let them help you now."

Two very large men who could have been former SOLDIERs, brushed past him as a nurse readied a large syringe filled with clear liquid. His footsteps in the hallway seemed to stop echoing, it wasn't from lack of acoustics, but the terrified screams from Zack drown them out.

The ache in his heart started the feeling of barbed wire wrapping around it, strangling it, emptying it of his humanity. How could he just leave knowing that he could have been the only person that he trusted right now? Not knowing what the Lieutenant had gone through for months made the sound of his screams clench his soul just as the hand on his wrist had done.

His feet stopped the forward momentum, balling up his fists; he tried to will his body to move forward. Another long scream of fright rocked him, shattering his need to leave until he was able to finally move again. And move he did, right back to the room where the screams seemed to start falling and were replaced with loud scared sobs and incoherent words.

A gasp at the sight of what they were doing angered him. Zack was lying across the bed with one of the men lying across Zack's rigid body holding him down, while the other man had his weight on top of the other and holding his arms. The fight that he was putting up was a valiant one; the two men had already broken a sweat. The nurse hurriedly injected the entire contents of the syringe into his arm but his fight wasn't over yet.

"What are you doing to him?!" At the sound of the blonde's voice, all four of them met his gaze. Zack's body fought harder, but achieved nothing. Cloud rushed over, not knowing why, but he had to try something, "Zack I'm here. Do you need me?"

Letting go of one of the guys' shirts, he reached out to Cloud and snatched the boy's wrist into his eager clasp. A hiss and wince of pain from the solid hold on him, Cloud allowed him to squeeze until he was just short of a broken bone, "Get off him! I'll get him calm, just leave him alone!"

The nurse nodded to the two gorilla sized orderlies. Zack immediately pulled the blond closer. With amazement, they watched as Cloud lay Zack down properly on the bed and allowed Zack to keep a hold of him. As uncomfortable as he was lying down next to a strange and obviously crazy man, the thought of leaving him to whatever tests they would do to him made him even more uncomfortable, "Don't worry Zack, I'll be right here. Okay?"

A whispered, "Okay…," from Zack ushered forth the relaxing effect of the sedative. Once it took him into a deep sleep, then and only then did Cloud get off the bed.

Test after test, scan after scan, keeping true to his word, he stayed with him the entire time.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	10. Dreams and Propositions

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

I haven't really been getting any feed back from any of the readers. I am guessing since you are reading this right now, you are enjoying the story.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"A person who truly loves you is someone who sees the pain in your eyes while everyone else still believes the smile on your face." –Unknown

Chapter 10

~Dreams and Propositions~

Dreams are a funny thing. At first you are in one place, doing one thing just before it turns either into a horrible nightmare or a dream that you wish were true. Then, as soon as it turns into either one that is when you're the most invested in it.

_He found himself in his home with his mother and Tifa, doing the mundane task of cooking dinner. With his mother gone, for some unknown reason, he gazed at Tifa standing at the kitchen counter cutting up potatoes for the stew. Finding himself holding a large cooking pot, he approached her, slowly. When the pot disappeared, he doesn't question it, but Tifa needs help, that is all he can think now. Bringing his body up behind hers, he wrapped his arms around her, taking the knife from her soft hands._

"_Here, let me help you," His breath gently moved the small hairs just above her ear and tickled her with teasing goose bumps. Feeling her relax, she gave up the knife willingly. The touch of her body on his, the fresh smell of her hair that reminded him of blooming lilies, all of it is an overpowering sensation. Continuing the task of slicing the potatoes, his arms brush along her sides and her arms, she leaned her head back to his shoulder and the sigh she released set his sights away from the potatoes._

_Tifa reached her hands behind her, gently exploring his thighs just before she turned to face him, getting trapped between him and the counter. Her eyes, deep pools of brown ecstasy that he could almost see his own reflection in, "Thank you for helping me." Her smile, oh Gaia, he could lose himself so easily. _

_When the dropped knife met the cutting board with a clink that filled the room as the only other sound, he had to touch her. The compulsion to feel her takes over and when she reached up to the collar of his shirt, her small fingers wrapped around the fabric. Beckoning him forward, his lips lightly touch hers. _

_Then the feeling of being watched stops him…_

Dreams, yeah they are funny. When they are over, you then find yourself in a different place. Nowhere near where you had dreamed about and not with the person you wanted.

His back ached, his hips yelled and the stiff neck screamed at him to wake up and get out of the hard straight-backed chair. Strangely enough, he still had the strong feeling of being watched.

Opening his eyes he found himself facing Zack sitting on his heels on top of his covers. Sometime during the night, Zack had shed yet another gown, but sat in his sleep pants. There was no movement from him except the blinking of his eyes and the soft motion of his chest with his breaths. A dark turquoise glow fixed on him from behind a few stray black strands of hair, waiting like a calm child, waiting for their parent to get home from work. A bundle of nerves and excitement lured him in. A soft voice, still no louder than a whisper got Cloud's attention and out of his thoughts.

"You stayed?"

"I told you that I would."

"Thank you…"

Rubbing his head and shifting his blond spikes around, he sighed and looked at Zack, "Can you tell me why you don't let anyone touch you except me?" Zack dropped his gaze to his lap and wrapped his arms around himself, but said nothing. Cloud sighed again, "That's okay. You can you tell me later if you want."

Standing and arching his back, the crack of bones shifting back to their proper places jerked Zack's eyes to the blond, "Ahh… that's better-ish." Rubbing at his neck just wasn't helping though; in fact, the pain was beginning to creep up into his head.

Cloud almost jumped out of his skin when he felt large hands grab his shoulders. His fight or flight instinct kicked in, but the First Class was faster than he was. Before he knew what happened, he heard what sounded like popcorn popping in his neck and back, then a twirling feeling and the darkening of his vision sent him reeling. When the dark tunnel in his mind receded and he focused, he found himself still in a somewhat standing, facing the larger man and being held up in his muscular arms.

His heart rate rose and the panic of the danger sent him into a frenzy trying to remove his slightly smaller body from the large and dangerous arms, "What…?!" Cloud's frightened alarm was not hidden, the sound slapped Zack in the face and he immediately retreated back to his bed. Slowly a new realization crept up as he suddenly felt horrible for yelling at him. The pain in his neck, shoulders and head was gone, not just gone, but better than it had felt since before he made it to Midgar so many months ago.

Zack's large muscular back faced him, his head hung low and his hair flowed down to just below where his ribs were visible, "I'm sorry Zack, I shouldn't have yelled at you." Not wanting to get to close, but needing to reassure him, he sat next to him on the bed, "You just wanted to help me didn't you?"

In small movements, Zack's fingers played with the fold of the sheet and blanket underneath him, "Yes. I didn't mean to scare you."

Cloud let out a nervous chuckle, "Well, thanks. I just wasn't expecting to become a sheet of bubble wrap."

Unexpectedly, Zack cut his eyes over at the blond and a quick, small and almost unnoticeable one-sided smile lit up his eyes.

Remembering back, he had seen some posters and pictures from different missions. Most of them were just Sephiroth, but there were a few that had Sephiroth, Genesis and Zack after he made first. The huge smile, the brightness in his eyes and his obvious love of life was clear and this was the first time he had seen any resemblance to that man. Seeing him now, he curled into himself, squatting down, his knees bent up to his chest and almost sitting on the bed. If needed, he would have been able to jump up at a moment's notice.

He couldn't help but think, wonder what happened. It was obvious that someone had done terrible things to him, but who would want to hurt such a gentle man. Gentle, not exactly how he would describe him sometimes, but he could tell that he meant well, at least toward the recruit.

Back in Nibelheim, when Sephiroth touched his arm and he went from zero to sixty in a blink, he had broken the General's wrist and brought down Genesis all before he was able to flee for his own life. Then to see it yet again with the doctor, it was like looking at night and day. One second he's fine, the next, he was trying to kill or maim. Cloud hoped that he never got on his bad side because just as sure as bears shit in the woods, there would be nothing he could do in his own defense.

When the door opened, Cloud jumped, but Zack jumped faster and immediately took Cloud by the wrist again.

"Good morning, just checking in. We are just going to take you for some more tests in a little while. Maybe you would like to talk to someone, tell us where you've been for the last nine months?" The doctor notated in his chart as he spoke, never looking at Zack directly. Cloud thought that he was either afraid of him or too preoccupied with his notes to care.

Staying on the bed, but scooting closer to the standing blonde's legs, Zack let out a tiny whimper of dread and Cloud spoke on his behalf, "I don't think he wants to talk now."

Looking up and scanning the two men, Doctor Brady Chase's bedroom eyes couldn't help but take in the sight. Pulling out of his thoughts, he stated in a deep and soft voice, "Well, it is obvious that the poor thing's been traumatized. He needs to speak to someone."

The hairs on the back of Cloud's neck stood on end at the look that the Doctor gave them. The thought crossed his mind that he was glad that Zack hadn't seen the look. Knowing Chase for the last few months, he figured that he wouldn't do anything, it was just the creep factor, "Doctor, I just don't think he's ready."

"I will be the judge of that, I am his doctor," Brady left and again they were left alone.

Cloud wondered where was Sephiroth and Genesis and why they weren't here yet. They more than likely had important paper work about the 'mission' and convincing Lazard that the fake mission was worth it.

When the door swung closed, Zack released Cloud's wrist and Cloud sat back in the chair, "I'm going to have to go back to my barracks eventually. I mean, I don't know if your sense of smell is working, but I am starting to smell myself."

Still in the same place as he was before Chase came in, he looked up through his eyebrows and loose spikes. Cloud couldn't tell if he was smiling or not, but he liked to think that he was. It was difficult for him, he wouldn't know until he actually tried to leave. The last time he tried to leave, he didn't get very far down the hall before his heart turned him back around.

Concern mixed with his words, blond eyebrows rose in apprehension, "Will you be okay for a little while without me?"

Zack turned his head away from him and said nothing for a very long time. His hands met in front of his ankles and his fingers twisted together in a nervous fidgeting. Cloud was almost ready to concede that he had forgotten that he had even been asked a question when he finally said something, "You'll come back?"

All Cloud could see was the back of his head, he didn't know why Zack seemed to refuse to look at him all of a sudden. Without too much of a hesitation Cloud confirmed, "Of course. I'll smell better and I will even bring you something. Is there anything you would like for me to bring you?"

Again there was a long silence and Cloud almost just got up and left. He would just pick something up and hope that it would be something that he would like. Zack surprised him again when he spoke, "Newspaper."

"You want a newspaper? Is that all? You don't want a candy bar, a soda or maybe even something from your apartment?" Zack shook his head in small movements again and if Cloud hadn't been paying attention, he would have missed it, "Okay then. Consider it done. Give me a couple of hours and I'll be back. Okay?"

When he got no response back, he shut the door behind him. Stepping into the elevators, his thoughts went to Tifa and his mother; he owed them a phone call. Perhaps he could squeeze that in after his shower. Explaining the situation to his superior training officer would be interesting. Hopefully after a few days, Zack wouldn't need him anymore and he could go back to concentrating on his training again.

Digging into his foot locker next to his bed, he finally found his neatly folded towel, saying to himself, "shower time."

Knowing full well that the hot water would be blessedly welcomed by his body, and as a bonus he had the place to himself. The cavernous shower room felt strange with the echo of just his footsteps and the sounds of the hot water splattering on the tiles. The water cleansed his stress at least for a time and he was a little more refreshed now that he smelled more like an Irish Spring and less like a sewer system. Getting to bathe while on missions or field problems was rare.

The silence was deafening when he turned off the water but was soon broken by a voice, "Trainee Strife. I have your promotion papers here," Spinning around to see Genesis, standing on the other side of the chest high tile wall, had him at a disadvantage, "Also, I have a proposition for you."

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	11. Tension, Blackmail and Stupidity

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: Thank you to all the reviewers, if I didn't respond to your review, I apologize and I will rectify it soon. Also, I have been told that some of you have favorited my stories, but they aren't showing up on your favorites list. That happens to me too on some of the stories or authors that I have favorited. I am guessing that it is a glitch or something on the site.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"You are what you are today because of the decisions and the choices you made yesterday." –Unknown

Chapter 11

~Tension, Blackmail and Stupidity~

Turning and leaving for the locker area, Genesis spoke over his shoulder, "For Gaia's sake cover yourself and we will talk."

The fluffy white towel around his waist would have to suffice as a substitute for privacy. Right now, Genesis stood in front of his shower room locker looking at him expectantly. Cloud's patience was wearing thin by now, "Sir, may I get to my locker please?"

"I want you to hear me out first. You reaction hinges on whether you walk back to your room in a towel, or less revealing clothing," Feeling like making a little trouble, the blond recruit was a perfect target.

"So your saying that I have permission to speak freely sir?"

"Of course. I would have it no other way."

Keeping a clutching hold on the front of his towel he resigned, sat on the bench in front of the lockers and mumbled, "What is so important that it couldn't wait until I was out of the shower?"

When Genesis regained his eye contact, the swirl of anger in the boy's eyes made a fluttering feeling of maliciousness that he hadn't felt since before Zack disappeared, "Well, while you were down here cleaning up and changing clothes, I talked with the Doctor," A black boot propped his leg up on the bench and he leaned forward with his elbow on the top of his leg, "Guess what he said."

"I have no idea what that quack said," His suddenly pale lips clamped shut. Why had he said that out loud, not that he didn't feel that way. With a roll of his eyes, he sighed and refocused on the Major, "Uh, what did he say?"

"He said that the Lieutenant could go back to his own apartment."

"Why? He isn't fit to be alone in his own place. I don't think he could even take care of himself," He just couldn't hide the alarm and concern in his tone. Why would the Doctor allow this?

A bright glow of light blue shined through the red stands that covered part of his face. A devious smile crossed his slightly reddened lips, "He isn't going to be alone."

"Oh, okay," Was Sephiroth or Genesis going to move in with him? Thoughts, circled, pivoted, shrank back and then shoved themselves in his face, like a cold wet cloth hitting him. He stood and in his frightening understanding of the situation, he forgot he was only wearing a towel, "Hey, wait a minute!" When Genesis looked up at the ceiling with a small smile, Cloud glanced down and the towel had gathered around his feet. With a bright red face, both from anger and embarrassment, he wrapped the towel around himself again, he very nearly yelled, "Sir? Why me?"

"Because he likes you," Genesis pointed at him, "If he is in his own apartment again with someone he trusts, then he just might open up. Then we can find out information like where he's been and who had him." Crossing his arms, he looked at the blond in his state of angry confusion and grinned again, "Seph and I will make arrangements for your training as a third as long as you live with him."

"That's blackmail!"

"Yes it is. I'm so glad that you are smarter than you look at this moment," Pausing for a minute to let the blonde's growl come to a finish, "So what do you say?"

What could he say? His career was on the line and everything that he worked so hard for. Going back to Nibelheim without achieving what he set out to do would just be inviting more bullying and taunts. He made a promise to himself and his mother that he would succeed. The thought of getting his mother out of the town that despised her only fueled his want, his need to carry on.

Getting through the academy and making it into the SOLDIER program was just the beginning. He committed himself to finishing his training and becoming a First Class one day. This move on the Major's part was simply the most backhanded thing he had the displeasure of being a part of, "…Fine."

"That's the spirit! First thing tomorrow morning, we start moving you into his apartment," Slapping the side of the blonde's bare shoulder, he laughed as he left and the eye roll began and ended by the time the door swung closed.

With a fairly thick newspaper in hand, he knocked on the door to Zack's room, but there was no answer. He didn't think it was odd, after all he didn't talk that much anyway.

"Just go on in, its unlocked," The nurse from the other morning called to him with a look that he wasn't sure how to interpret.

"Thanks," Swinging the door open, the sight of Zack sprawled and restrained to the bed, Cloud went straight to pissed off. The bright glow of the Lieutenant's hypnotizing eyes shone easily in the slightly darkened room. Flipping the light switch, his face was wet with tears and he shivered from the cool air that circulated in the once warmer room. Finally finding the nurse again, he spun her around, "What the hell happened? Why is he restrained like that?"

Surprise covered her face like a mask, "We had to get his vitals before he left tomorrow, Doctor's orders. You weren't here to help, so we did what we had to."

Dropping her arm, he walked back to the room. The guilt he felt as he looked at him churned in his gut. Just so he could get a shower, he had left him and the hurt that wrinkled the brunette's features just made the guilt worse. Shaking hands fumbled at the reinforced buckles holding down Zack's appendages.

Not moving at all until the last buckle set his arm free, he jolted forward and pinned Cloud to the wall. His usually quiet voice mixed with anger, feral and deadly, but his eyes said something different. Softness clouded his frustration and while still holding him to the wall, he grunted, "You left…"

Even though Zack was not hurting him, panic again took over and he broke out into a sweat, "Yeah, I told you that I'd be back. Here, I brought a newspaper, just like you asked." Zack flinched and pulled away from the blond, but promptly took him by the wrist. Being yanked back across the room, the larger man sat him down in the chair and took his place back on the bed. He kept a watchful eye on Cloud.

Cloud tossed the paper on the bed in front of the dark-haired first. Not changing from sitting on his legs and feet, he opened the paper and began reading it, silently.

The whole day, Zack read, and then re-read the paper, not once looking directly at Cloud. Every once in a while, Cloud could see him cut his eyes over, making sure that the blond was right where he had put him.

That evening, Sephiroth walked in holding Zack's dinner tray, "How are you doing Zackary?" Cloud jumped to attention with a salute and the General returned the salute. Zack didn't look up from the paper or make any noise. Setting the tray down on the bed side table, he looked to Cloud, "I suppose Genesis talked to you."

Feeling downtrodden and sleepy also when he stood up his bladder also began to announce its need to take a break. He wondered if Zack would allow him to leave long enough to go to the bathroom, "Yes Sir, he did."

Noticing the little way he squeezed his knees together in need, Sephiroth couldn't help but smirk, "Sorry that he couldn't wait until you were out of the shower room. He likes any of his possible future opponents thrown off guard."

"I don't think that I am not even close to his level of abilities yet, so sparring with him is still way in the future," The got-to-go to the bathroom dance began to take on a life of his own, "Sir? Could I ask you to stay here while I use the restroom please?"

The silver General noticeably shifted his weight and answered, "Well I really can't stay. I still have some paper work to catch up on."

"It won't take long, I promise."

"Hurry back then," The blond blur rushed past and Sephiroth turned his attention to Zack. Pulling the chair closer to the bed, he sighed as he sat, "Zack, I would like to talk to you." The quiet one shifted back to his place, back facing the door, balanced on his feet, knees to his chest and his rear hovered just mere centimeters from the top of the bed, "Why won't you talk to me? Look at me Zack."

Zack's focus was solely on the paper in front of him, unwilling or unable to look at the General.

"Please Zack, I need to know… I want to know what happened to you."

The black spikes displaced to the side as he turned his head further away from him and rested the side of his head on his knees, he said quietly, "I can't…"

Frustration poured over him, his fingers slid through his hair, "We tried to find you, I swear. I didn't abandon you."

A quiet and hidden lake, undisturbed and still, Zack remained facing away and he uttered in a whisper, "I got away long enough to call, but you… Nothing's what it seems."

Looking up from his lap, Sephiroth waltzed in the cloudy confusion of his mind. What did he mean? It was something waiting for discovery. He searched his memory back to that one particular phone call.

_Soft breathing turned ragged and then a whisper, "I-I'm a SOLDIER… need h-help…"_

"_Listen, you are wasting valuable resources and not to mention my time. So unless you have some pertinent information I suggest you re-think your choices."_

_Ragged breathing turned to quiet breathing and eerie whispers, "Shh (inaudible word)… Help me… please… I don't know where-" _

Oh, Gaia, it had been Zack calling on that day and he blew him off. Filling with shame, he dropped his gaze back to his hands in his lap, "Zack, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Beginning to reach out to him, he pulled his hand back again, "Please, I'm sorry."

"Oh, thanks Sir. I didn't think I would make it," Again it was like walking into a wall. The tension stuffed the room, barely able to allow him to breathe, "Is everything okay Sir?"

"Yes, I was just getting ready to leave. I will see you sometime tomorrow," Long shiny hair followed in a wisp of air at his strides. The tension seemed to follow the General and Cloud was curious, but he didn't want to stick his neck out for any other ideas that him or Genesis had.

"Okay Zack, the General brought in your tray, you want to try to eat something now?"

"…"

"Come on, you haven't eaten all day. Do it for me, as a favor."

His long fingers reached out and grabbed the tray and pulled it closer to the edge of the table. Slowly eating the entire hamburger, he eyed the French fries and just as slowly ate them. Cloud's stomach growled as he realized that he hadn't eaten all day either. He would wait until his charge fell asleep, it was safer that way.

"Did they tell you that tomorrow morning you get to go back to your apartment?"

"Yes…"

"Are you excited to get back? You can get out of this room and back to your own place with all of your own things."

"…I don't know…"

"Well okay. I know that I would be freakin happy as a weasel in a henhouse," Cloud's statement draped a meager smile across Zack's lightly chapped lips.

"Are you going with me?"

"Only if you need me to," It wasn't that he didn't like the Lieutenant, but he could see this as a stumbling block in his training. He still had Genesis's voice in his head and the Major's ease of the process of roping the recruit into his will. Still deathly afraid of him, it didn't mean he would be anywhere near comfortable. He just had to remind himself that he was still the same recruit that had challenged the General. Keeping his internal fingers crossed, he was hoping that the grown man wouldn't need him.

"…Please…"

Bitter and disgruntled, he wasn't able to hide all of it from the larger man. He felt a little better knowing that he was looking in the other direction though. Rubbing his head and groaning silently, his emotions were getting the better of him and he felt on the verge of a full-fledged panic attack. This was not how he wanted his time at SOLDIER training to go; in fact, it was going in the opposite direction.

The Major had said something about them making arrangements for his training. Not getting to go through with everyone else was a real let down. He would be tucked away, sharing an apartment with an adult who needed a parent, not a seventeen year old trainee. He never thought that he would be a parent and still be a virgin, but life always has a few hiccups.

Sitting back in the chair, he tried to calm down when the blue violet eyes looked at him, needy.

"Okay Lieutenant, here is your night-night shot," A nurse and the two large orderlies took up positions around the crouching man. As quickly as they approached, they just as quickly stepped back.

Peering around one of the standing men, Cloud heard a low guttural snarl. As the Lieutenant's volume got louder, it curled his lips up in a showing of teeth. It reminded him of wolves, Nibelheim wolves were very territorial and dangerous. How a man could give off the feral vibe of a wild animal just made Cloud's new living arrangement that much less appealing.

"Strife, would you please calm him down? We don't want anyone hurt," The small nurse pleaded.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he tried to cleanse himself of his threatening hysteria, "Its okay, I'm right here." Cloud held his arm out to him and braced himself for the pain that was coming. Without missing a beat, Zack took Cloud by the arm and pulled him down on the bed right next to him.

Once Zack received his shot, Cloud sat next him on the bed until the injection took him to unconsciousness. Unfortunately Zack kept his hold on Cloud.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	12. Welcome to Your New Reality

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I am moving a lot slower in this story than I was in UB. I am trying to discipline myself to make each chapter one scene or situation. Although, I still have a short attention span and very little patience so this story still moves faster than other stories. I hope that is alright you.

*batting eyelashes shyly* This chapter is also a teeny bit longer, which should please xxSkadi. *Sheepishly grinning*

Also, I love clumsy Cloud, it reminds me of...me. I am a klutz looking for a place to fall. In this chapter, we are getting to see a little bit of what Cloud's life is going to be like. *Raising a cold can of soda* Here is to hoping that you enjoy this chapter...

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"People who deserve nothing are handed everything." – Unknown

Chapter 12

~Welcome to Your New Reality~

"Hey, Cloud!"

Folding his arm over his face, blocking out the light, Cloud mumbled, "Mom, I da wanna go t-day"

"I ain't your mother!"

Pulling himself out of his hazy slumber, he opened his eyes and saw Jamie. A shifting of weight next to him in the bed brought back his awareness to his new reality in life. Not to mention he got pushed to the floor, when he was unceremoniously flipped out of the bed. A laugh from Jamie was one thing that he didn't need, in addition to the hand that still held his wrist.

Looking up from his new perspective on the floor, his friend stood over him, "Need help?"

Cloud chuckled, "Yeah, in more ways than one."

"I'm here to help you out. So… are ya ready for this move?"

Like a frying pan hitting him in the head, it all crashed on him again. He could just hear the conversation that he and his mother would have next time they talked. _'Yeah, mom. Just shacking up with that crazy guy I was with back at the house. You remember the one who wouldn't let go of me. But don't worry; it's only to advance my career.'_ Oh she would absolutely flip out about that. She would almost assuredly add that his father was turning over in his grave.

"I guess so," Zack still slept from the effects of the powerful sedative, but his hold was still just as strong, "Hey, Jamie, help me get loose for a minute."

"You mean you want me to touch him after what he did to General Sephiroth and the Major at the helicopter?" Holding his hands in surrender he backed away a few steps.

"He's out cold, they sedated him. I gotta catch that other nurse before she leaves," Cloud's frantic pleading culminated with a, "Please?"

Rolling his eyes and a sigh, Jamie reluctantly agreed, "Fine, but if he wakes up, I'm outta here," Jamie stepped around the bed and reached over the large sleeping form taking one of the man's fingers, he slowly pulled it back. Cloud did the same until he was loose and Jamie grabbed a small bag from the chair and shoved it against his friend's chest, "Here, I brought you some breakfast. Didn't know if you've eaten or not."

The blond dug in the bag as he held a mischievous grin, "Aww, does this mean we're goin' steady?" Stuffing the sausage biscuit in his mouth.

"Shut up you walking dildo!"

With a laugh, Cloud said over his shoulder as he walked out the door, "Thanks. Luckily the nurse took pity on me last night so I'm not on the verge of death or anything."

Being left alone with the large brick wall of a man, Jamie backed away. Moving closer to the door, he waited for the Lieutenant to wake up and snap his neck and use his dead body as a pillow or something. Just when he thought he was safe, the fluttering eyelids of the once unconscious man opened and immediately looked directly at him.

Zack jumped up into his crouch on the bed and tilted his head in curiosity.

"You want to know where Cloud is don't ya," Jamie backed himself up into the back of the door.

The burning brightness of his eyes seemed to bore down an sear his brain. To say that the Lieutenant scared him would have been an understatement. However when the larger man talked, his physical aggressiveness contradicted his gentle and quiet voice, "He left…?"

Cloud was right, it was agonizing seeing the hurt in his eyes that screamed breaking of trust, "No, he'll be right back, he had to go talk to some nurse or something," Zack retreated farther back on the bed.

"Well I guess we get this done, I have some things I have to do a little later," Cloud swept his gaze around the room, "Hey, it's okay Zack. I'm right here."

"…Okay…" Zack once again didn't look up; the small movements of fidgeting with his fingers gained his attention instead.

"Hey guess what. We're moving you back to your apartment today," Gathering up the small amount of things that had accumulated in the few days there, he gave them to Jamie, "You ready?" He draped the hospital gown over his shoulders. Holding his arm out, ready for Zack to take it, the brunette simply looked at it, "Come on, let's get you out of this hospital room and back to your comfy bed."

Finally taking his arm when it was in front of him again, he followed the blond to the elevator.

"Hey Cloud, since I'm not an official third yet, am I still gonna be able to visit?"

Shrugging his shoulders he answered plainly, "Don't know. This is all new to me; I don't know how this situation works." Never looking up, Zack stayed next to Cloud, almost cowering away from Jamie. Watching the numbers light up on the panel, Cloud added, "We can take Zack to his apartment, and then go get my stuff."

"There's no need, the Major had me and a couple of other guys bring your stuff up already," Jamie started to smile, but the look of surprise on Cloud's face made the smile disappear quickly.

The blonde's mouth hung open and his eyes wide, he stammered, "Uh, wait a minute… I… What?!"

Jamie straightened up and tried to hide another smile from him, "Don't worry Cloud, I hid your 'reading material' before anyone saw them."

"What? What do you mean…?" Shifting his weight, he seemed to have forgotten about the man holding his arm until Zack squeezed it. Cloud cleared his throat and said in a more convincing voice, "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, right. I forgot, mister straight and narrow," Jamie laughed and when the doors opened, he laughed all the way to the Lieutenant's door and unlocked it.

"Shut up Jamie!"

"Don't worry, the secret of your sexual frustration is safe with me," Following Cloud in to the apartment, Jamie grinned and finished under his breath, "Geez, lighten up."

When Cloud stepped into the living area of the apartment a rush of dread settled in his chest. He couldn't move, he didn't want to move. Off to one side his things from his foot locker and trunk, stacked neatly. However it was an island among the chaos. Dishes, he was guessing that they were dirty, sat gathering dust on the coffee table and end tables. The couch looked as if a closet threw up and shoes scattered the small entryway, "What the hell? Did someone break in a trash the place?"

"Not that I know of, but I suggest you don't go in the kitchen right away," The brunette trainee slapped his friend on the shoulder, "I gotta go man, I got training. Have fun buddy."

Cloud smirked at him as he left, but then returned his attention back to the mess that was once called an apartment, "Lieutenant, tell me that you don't actually live like this." Face palming himself, his hand slid into his hair, ruffling it. Jamie was right, he did have a _fun_ day ahead of him.

Growing up, he was alone a lot. Not that he wanted that, but it was just the way of things. Since he had all that time, he became somewhat of a neat freak. It was fine with his mother, she was also, but standing here in the midst of what was going to turn out to resemble a personal hell, he felt light-headed. A knock on the door spun him around and Zack never loosened his grip.

"Strife. How are things?"

Jumping to attention, Genesis quickly returned the salute allowing Cloud t relax, "Major, Sir. Is this how it always looked in here?"

"Well, you are off to an interesting start. I bet you haven't even looked through the place yet," Genesis stepped over a pair of shoes and swept a small pile of clothes off of the couch to the floor, "No, it didn't always look like this, he had to leave on the last mission quickly, that explains the clothes. The dishes, we had been over the night before watching a movie. He was only expecting that he would be gone for no more than a week."

Letting out a long breath, "Okay, I was beginning to worry."

"Zack was always a bit of a mess, but not this bad," Genesis's boots clanked on the coffee table, "I won't keep you, I was just dropping by to give you the training schedule that you start in two days."

Hearing the man who perpetually stared at the floor finally spoke to no one in particular, "…Thank you…"

"Zack, you're welcome. However, the Doctor is going to come here so you don't have to go out right away," Genesis stood and clapped Cloud on the shoulder, "Take it easy Strife, I'll drop by later after work. Oh and you have a delivery of groceries coming in a few hours. They'll deliver for a while and then you'll have to do it yourself." Stopping just before the door shut, and pleading in a soft voice, regained Cloud's attention, "We will have someone posted just outside the door, for emergencies. Oh, and Cloud, please keep a close eye on him. Make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Okay?"

"Yes Sir," The steel door swung closed with a click and again he was left to survey the carnage. With a sigh that could only be interpreted as annoyance, Cloud addressed the Lieutenant, "Come on Zack. Let's get you over to the couch, maybe watch some TV."

Getting Zack settled, he had him watching a program about different species of rabbits or something like that. With the silent man occupied, he had released the blond and Cloud took the chance to start his tour of his new quarters. Walking through the living room, the kitchen was off to the left, with a pass through/ bar into the living room. Both kitchen sinks were full of dishes and the stove, covered with a mess of almost epic proportions.

The growling groan he had suppressed finally made it out, and then he turned to go down the hall to the right. The first door on his right turned out was the bathroom. With the door slightly ajar, he peeked around said door and surprised that it was actually a lot cleaner than he expected, definitely much cleaner than the kitchen.

Two more doors to go, the one across from the bathroom was a bedroom that had a full-sized bed with clean sheet set and blanket folded on the foot of the bed. The fluffy blanket had a design of squares in larger squares, a geometric eyesore in bright blue. There was a small dresser on one wall and a bedside table with a lamp and an ivory colored shade. No pictures or anything on the wall, but that was alright; maybe he could hang a few pictures that he had from home. His mood lifted a little when he became aware of the apartment having an extra bedroom. At least he would have a room and some privacy, unlike in the barracks.

Three more steps down the hall and the last door revealed Zack's room. There was a full-sized bed, covered in sheets and a comforter that he figured would grace the bed of a ten-year old boy. Cloud questioned under his breath, "Race cars?"

"They were a gag gift from Angeal," Cloud whipped around to see Zack standing behind him. An imposing presence, Zack stood taller, a little more confident than he had seen in the last few days.

"Stop scaring me!" Zack said nothing, in fact he lowered his head and backed away so Cloud could go back to the living room and he followed. Once he got Zack occupied with TV again, Cloud began the daunting task of cleaning the apartment and scouring the kitchen. When the groceries finally arrived, Cloud confidently put them up in the now sterilized room.

That evening, the thought of dinner was far off in his mind. He felt better about the cleanliness that he would be living in. The entire time that Cloud had been busy, Zack sat in front of the television and he didn't think that he watched one bit of it. The Lieutenant sat in a crouch, staring at his hands that fidgeted nervously.

A combination of very little sleep the last of couple of nights before had tired him out. The long and involved project of cleaning an apartment that was the picture of what most thought a bachelor pad would look like, added to his exhaustion.

_-CRASH- _

Jumping out of his unexpected nap and not seeing Zack, he began a frantic search, "Zack!" He hated that he was responsible for a grown First Class Soldier. Now he was rushing around looking for him, frantic that he may lose his life at the hands of either the Major or the General. Well, then again, it could be both, especially if Zack hurt himself. Being made in to a skin bag of broken bones wasn't on his bucket list after all.

Yet again in his shorts, Zack was in the kitchen with the refrigerator door open and he had accidentally dropped several things from the refrigerator to the floor. When he saw his new care giver in the entryway to the kitchen, he eyes fell to the floor and he got back into his crouch, backing away to a corner.

Trying to stay as calm as he could, Cloud approached him, "Zack, what happened?"

"…I'm hungry… I was getting something… to eat."

"Oh, shit!" Seeing the clock, it was a little past eight, "Okay, let me get this cleaned up and I'll get you something to eat." Again the feeling of being a parent swallowed him. It was beginning to just be too much. He cleaned the place up, then Zack goes and makes a mess, shucks his shirt off again and now he had to feed him. That was what his life was from now on, or at least until Zack got back to normal.

Running his hands through his hair, he sighed and started the cleanup process again, "Zack, next time, if you're hungry just tell me and I'll get you something."

"Hey Strife, you really got this place into shape," Genesis's purring voice startled him, "What happened here?"

Cloud was not remotely in the mood, not only did he forget to salute, but he yelled before he could stop himself, "Really? I'll tell you what happened! I got stuck here, cleaning, cooking and taking care of a-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence, Strife," Genesis backed Cloud up and blocked him against the counter, "You don't have to stay here, I can buy you a bus ticket home at any time."

Cloud pinched his lips closed with his teeth. Reality hit him hard again; he had just yelled at his superior officer, strangely enough, he was still alive after that. He also couldn't go back home a failure. Then the bullies would never let him live it down. He just couldn't let this ruin his plans, "I'm sorry Sir, please. I don't want to go home yet." Cloud looked over at Zack, hunched down on the floor, eyes down and his hands in his hair. He suddenly felt really bad for saying anything.

"Okay then," The red Major backed away and said with a satisfied grin, "So, what's for dinner?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	13. Doctor Spock Don't Know Shit

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I am trying to not be repetitive from one chapter to the next. I am several chapters ahead, but I have run into some kinks that I am trying to iron out. It is a consistency thing and it is beginning to aggravate me. If there is an issue that I have not fixed or one that pops up, please either let me know or overlook them, its your choice.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do! If there is one of you that wants to be my beta, let me know.

* * *

"It's better to have a few true friends than a bunch of fake ones." –Unknown

Chapter 13

~Doctor Spock Don't Know Shit~

"Well, Strife, that was a mighty fine ham sandwich, very filling," Putting the bottle of beer to his lips, he smirked at the new Third.

"I never said that I could cook. You know sir, you can call me Cloud if you want."

"I don't know if I'm comfortable enough with you for such informality just yet," Turning his attention to his raven haired friend and his struggle to keep control, Genesis could see that he wanted to grab the boy, but he looked like he was fighting it. Feeling better that Zack had eaten something, he took another drink.

When the front door opened, Sephiroth gracefully walked in holding a bottle of wine, "Sorry I'm late. I thought that I would be able to get here sooner." Scanning the food that was laid out on the table, he glanced at Genesis and then Cloud, "Did I get here in time for the appetizer or is an after dinner snack?"

"Nope. Seph, this _is_ dinner," Immediately getting up and getting glasses, Genesis opened the bottle and poured some for all four of them, "Well, let's hope that Strife learns how to cook sometime soon."

Shifting around in his seat, Zack never looked at the glass. From his chair next to his brunette friend, the General saddened, missing his talkative nature. He never thought that he would miss the constant noise or his rambunctious activity level. When Angeal had nicknamed him puppy, it had suited him to a tee.

Looking now, he was the exact opposite and he didn't like it one bit, "So Zackary, how do you like being back in your apartment?"

Instead of getting an answer, Zack just turned his face away from him and looked to Cloud and whispered, "I'm tired…"

"Oh, okay, well I guess you can go ahead and go to bed?" Cloud was at a loss, he wasn't sure what Zack was wanting from him. Just then, his arm got grabbed again and Cloud looked at his superior officers.

Getting up from their chairs, Genesis volunteered, "Well, we will get going so both of you can get some sleep." Watching them leave, he felt like a child, watching as his parents were leaving him alone for the first time.

Resigning himself to his fate for their first night as roommates, the younger man pulled forward, "Let's go Zack," Cloud led him down the hallway and into the First's bedroom, "Alright, I'll be just down the hall so you can let go of me now."

Even though the man towered over him a good five inches and outweighed him by a good fifty pounds, he still seemed so small and fragile. He looked around hesitantly and released Cloud, "Go get in your bed Zack." Slowly he got on the bed and again he crouched in the middle of the bed, "You can lay down you know. Go ahead, its okay, you're safe here."

When Cloud started to close the door, he heard a whimper from him, "Do you want me to leave the door open?" He didn't say anything but the look he received implored to him, so he left it open.

Shutting the door to the bathroom and turning the shower on, he got in and the hot water flowed gently over his head and shoulders. Relaxing him with deep breaths, he closed his eyes, but his brain refused to relax. Luckily Zack had his own private phone line in the apartment, so he would call his mother tomorrow. He didn't know how he was going to explain it to her, but then again, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right?

Rinsing the shampoo out of his hair he turned the water off and opened the shower curtain, he was more than ready for bed.

"Holy Shit!" Cloud danced in the tub looking for traction and as he hit the floor the air rushed from his lungs in a grunt, "What the Hell!" Zack crouched on the floor across from the tub, apparently waiting for Cloud. As the wet blond got up and grabbed the towel to cover himself, he chastised the other man, "Alright, we need some ground rules around here." He pulled Zack up by the arm and as he escorted him back to his room, he finished, "If the door's closed, don't just walk in."

As Cloud let go of his upper arm, Zack turned and his eyes had a bright glow to them, "…I'm sorry, I got… I mean I just…"

Trying to remain calm and remember that Zack went through something horrible, Cloud quietly sighed, "It's alright, just next time knock first okay?" Cloud retreated back to his room, closed the door and quickly put some sleep pants on.

Settling under the covers, he glanced at the back of the heavy wooden door. He had to leave Zack's door open and wondered if maybe he should leave his open too. Was Zack on the other side of the door waiting? Seemingly having a knack for scaring the blond, he thought to peek first. Just a crack and there wasn't anyone there, so he propped if open. Crawling back into bed, he drifted off to sleep. Hopefully it would be better in the morning.

* * *

Sephiroth lay in bed, hands behind his head, deep in thought. Questioning Zack now wouldn't do any good, especially if he wouldn't even look at or talk to him. Sephiroth wanted to find out what happened, and then maybe he would be able to solve the mystery of not only Zack but Angeal too.

One thing was for sure, whoever it was that hurt them, would suffer from their indiscretions against _his_ friends. It would be slow, painful and it would all be by his hand. The thought that someone else had touched them, they were his, he just shared with Genesis because he was his too.

Perhaps Genesis was right, he was too dominating and territorial, but he couldn't help it. Once someone found a place in his life, his heart, they were there and always would be. The kid taking care of Zack was not who he wanted taking care of him, but he was the only one that Zack would let near him. Why? What was it about Cloud that Zack seemed to bond with him instead of his long-time friends?

He would think about this later, he had work in the morning, starting with the surveillance footage from the apartment. Maybe seeing them interact with one another while they were alone, it might shed some light on the situation. He silently thanked the red-headed, pain-in-the-ass Turk for setting the cameras up. He fell into a light sleep.

* * *

Genesis couldn't sleep, tossing and turning and never finding a comfortable spot. Relenting, he sat up and reached for the blunt on his night table. Once the sweet, harsh smoke-filled his lungs he held his breath, waiting, thinking and devising ideas and plans.

The cameras that Reno had set up were not exactly what he had wanted, but no one had asked him. Sephiroth had been all for it, but he just felt a certain invasion, not only Zack but the kid too. Surely Reno listened to him about not putting them in the bathroom. Whether he put them in the bedrooms, he didn't know. One thing's for sure, if he saw just one frame of anybody in the bathroom, he would kill someone, he didn't really care who.

How did it happen that Zack had ended up so far from where he had disappeared? Was he held in Nibelheim, Calchest or somewhere between them? Did Zack escape or was he released? There was just too many questions that he wanted, no needed the answers to. If he had escaped, they might be looking for him, however if they had released him, they would be even more difficult to find. He just couldn't believe, ever since they found him, he was not the Zack that he once knew. His goofball antics and stupid jokes were severely missed.

Genesis's thoughts flipped to Sephiroth. As much as Sephiroth took offense at anyone getting near his friends, he could only see that he was seething. Surprised at the self-control that the General didn't normally have but had exhibited the last few days, impressed him. He wondered about the new Third, would Sephiroth become the boy's mentor? That way he would be able to get closer to him, thus getting to know him better since he was so close to one of Sephiroth's 'belongings'.

What was it about him? Sephiroth had been that way ever since he had known him. Anytime he had felt threatened within his friendship, he would cinch down on it and basically stake his claim, so to speak. Growing up as the president's son, he wanted for nothing, except true friends. However, he still had this quality about him, a flaw of his personality. That would be the only real threat to the young blond kid living with Sephiroth's Zack.

It will be interesting to watch the kid scramble under the General's scrutiny. If he could have, he would sell tickets for the show because it would be a good one.

Well not for lack of trying, the Major just couldn't sleep. Deciding to do a little spying, he made it down to the floor with the entire surveillance network. Small sound proof rooms marked with numbers and letters separated everything. Zack's apartment was under the surveillance cameras from the booth marked 17H.

Walking into the small and oddly warm room, he was glad to see that he would be alone. One wall had ten mounted television screens and three more that set in a receded part of the opposite wall. Sitting with his back to the three screens, he checked the camera roster and number that corresponded to which screen. The recorded footage could be retrieved in the main surveillance offices that just so happened was on the floor with the Turk offices the next floor down.

Flipping on the screens that had a camera assigned to it, there were seven on the roster. However there was another number labeled for emergencies only, "So help me, if this is the bathroom-someone will die painfully."

Once they all were on, he could see two views of the living room/dining room, one in the kitchen, one in each bedroom and one in the hallway. There was even one on the outside of the front door. Checking the one labeled for emergencies, the sight of the sink, tub and toilet got his blood pressure up. He felt his face redden and he had to take deep breaths to calm down, "That damn Turk is going to wish that he-"

Movement caught his attention. Looking at another screen, the kid was asleep in the extra room and evidently he wasn't sleeping well. Grabbing the headphones, he listened in to the blonde's room and it just seemed it was the standard bad dream. Something caught his eye, Zack standing, no… hiding, in the doorway.

Zack's movements were hesitant and could be called cautious. He stalked around the corner into the boy's room and stood over him. The mako was luminescent in the dark, the look of a dragon on the prowl. The way he hovered over him, staring, with a fidgeting in his limbs was unnerving. Zack dropped into a crouch on the floor next to the bed and stayed there for at least thirty minutes, just watching the boy.

Hearing something, he couldn't make it out; he turned up the volume almost to maximum. Genesis's eyebrows furrowed as he listened to crying. Studying both men, he determined that it was Zack. It was quiet, almost as though he were trying to keep anyone from hearing, but there was an occasional sniffle.

"What in the world?" Genesis wondered out loud.

Standing up slowly, he rounded the bed, never taking his eyes off of the smaller man. Cloud had calmed with his dream over and he just lay still, unknowing of the situation that happened next to him.

Nervously, Zack looked around and an audible whimper of uncertainty. Mako made the blue shine brighter in his eyes, Genesis had never seen a glow as bright before. The Doctor would want to see this.

Gently, Zack stepped toward the bed and slowly climbed in the bed. Lifting the covers, he cuddled up to Cloud just as a child would after having a nightmare.

Cloud rolled to his side, facing away from Zack, he moved right along with the sleeping one. Settling his forehead on to the younger man's upper back, he fell asleep shortly after that.

Quietly to himself, Genesis asked in wonderment, "What in the great world of Gaia happened to you Zack?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	14. What to Expect When

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter is so short. To the guest reviewer, since I cannot privately reply to your review, I will acknowledge you now, thank you for reviewing! FYI, I love clumsy Cloud!

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one." –Elbert Hubbard

Chapter 14

~What to Expect When You Don't Know What's Happening~

"Seph, I'm serious. Just watch the video. I have a very serious concern here," Genesis watched the General as he watched Zack in the bedroom with Cloud.

"It's the same as any other time that we've seen him with the boy. The only difference is his eyes. Has the doctor seen this?"

"Not yet," With a loud sigh, the red Major tapped a pen on the desk top that he leaned on.

"Hey, what about this one here? Watch what he does," Reno spun around in his chair to let Genesis sit. Flipping a switch for the audio to be channeled to the room speakers.

When Genesis saw that it was the bathroom, he grit his teeth and clenched his fists, "Dammit Reno. I don't want to see one of them-"

"Just watch what happens after Strife gets in the shower," Reno crossed his arms.

Zack slowly opened the door to the bathroom, peeking around the door. Turning his face away from the shower, he lowered his head and opened the medicine cabinet and stood perfectly still, just staring for several minutes. Sephiroth and Genesis had both made sure that nothing was in there that could hurt anyone. Evidently he didn't find what he was looking for so he turned to the blonde's clothes that lay over the counter.

Poking through the pockets, he finally dropped his head and then wiped at his nose as if he were crying. He picked up the shirt and held it for a moment, turned it over in his hands and simply studied it before he put it back. Dropping down to the floor, he crouched as usual, keeping his forehead on his knees, waiting.

"Holy Shit!" Cloud's feet flailed while his hands grabbed at anything, but missing everything. He up ended his feet out of the tub and flopping rather ungracefully to the floor, "What the Hell!" Grabbing a towel to wrap himself, he pulled Zack up semi harshly and informed him as they left the bathroom, "Alright, we need some ground rules around here."

All three men turned to the screen for the hallway camera as Cloud said to him, "If the door is closed, don't just walk in."

Genesis twisted around in the chair to glare at Reno, "Okay, that is similar to the way he acted in the bedroom, so what is it that you wanted us to see?"

Reno pointed to the screen, "As Blondie walks off, look at his eyes... I have never seen anything like that."

Under his breath, Sephiroth uttered calmly and in awe, "Holy mother of Gaia."

"What the… What was that?" Completely dumfounded, Genesis couldn't find the words at first. When Reno paused the video they all three stared until the Major said, "I think we need to get the doctor."

Sephiroth, in a very uncharacteristic and uncertain voice, he asked, "Should we warn the kid?"

Genesis stood and quietly stated, "I think it would spook him and he would disappear. I hate to admit it, but we need him right now."

It was really odd for Reno to be so calm and serious, but his face never faltered from a stoic expression, "I don't know what kind of shit you guys are in, but this has fucked up written all over it."

Getting the video to the Doctor and to Lazard, they watched as they re-played the recording from Zack's apartment, his eyes seemed to glaze over. Sephiroth couldn't help but comment, "Doctor, is there something wrong?"

"Uh, no not at all," Standing up, he paced briefly, "I am going to go examine him in a little while. I will need one of you with me."

The General readily agreed.

Lazard seemed speechless at first, but soon asked, "Why did his eyes… Why were they…? His eyes are a violet color, not green."

Reno's voice sounded more like him thinking out loud, "The mako wouldn't do that, it never has before."

The General added to Reno's observation, "No it wouldn't. That didn't happen to Angeal."

Lazard shook his head and started to leave and was soon followed by Sephiroth and the Doctor. After they left, Genesis stared at the other red-head, "Reno, I want you to try something."

As Reno gathered up the video disks to take back to the Turk offices, "Does it involve being sneaky and underhanded?"

The Major couldn't help but hear the smile in his voice, "Of course, that's why I'm asking you."

Reno's blue eyes twinkled, "Ooo, I'm flattered."

* * *

Sephiroth got to his quarters and laid out on his couch and stared at his booted feet. Out of the corners of his eyes, he could see the mess that his life had become. The top of his coffee table had long since disappeared and the floor around the couch started to look like his drawers got dumped out on top of a pile of newspapers. Sitting up, he shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

Leaning over, he picked up one thing, then two. Doing this until the coffee table was cleaned off, he stood to throw the trash away. Where had he gone wrong? Knowing that he didn't care about the company anymore, he dared to throw away his own identity also. His whole life he got treated well, but there was just something that was missing.

When the floor in living room was eventually cleaned up, he pulled out the vacuum and started on the floors in the living room and dining room. Figuring that this was a step for him in the right direction, getting Zack better was going to take every bit of patience that he had. Getting back to his normal tidiness, just furthered his mental objective to find who was responsible for the Lieutenant's condition.

Although, he didn't feel he had a problem, he had perfect control on his drug use, his emotions were still raw. It didn't help that every time he saw Zack, that unhealed wound would just tear open again and purge its own value of emotions. Putting the vacuum back up, he went to his room and pulled out his little black bag. Unzipping the small nylon bag, the new syringes gleamed in the bright light of his bedside table lamp.

Closing his eyes and sighing, he took a deep breath and tried talking himself out of it, but how can you talk yourself out of something if you didn't have a problem in the first place? That was his reasoning, it was for everything that he had to have a purpose for, a reasoning for it all. Pulling everything that he needed out of the bag, he proceeded to inject the contents into a vein. When he finished lying to himself, he would pay his third in command a visit.

* * *

When Sephiroth unlocked the door, he smelled something burning and then a yelp of pain. Rushing to the aid of his friend, he noticed that it was actually Cloud, "What are you doing?"

Snapping to attention, "Sir!"

Returning the salute he added, "When you aren't at work, I'm telling you that it isn't necessary to salute me. Now, I asked you a question."

"Well, sir, Zack asked for pancakes so I was attempting to make pancakes," The hiss of the sizzling skillet filled the silence when it went in the sink. The pink in his cheeks rose as he looked up at Sephiroth.

"By the way, where is Zack? The Doctor is here to see him."

Cloud pulled out a box of cereal, "He's laying down," In an irritated tone, he recounted, "In my bed."

Zack lay right where the kid had said and as soon as he saw someone who wasn't blond, he flipped out of the bed and crouched down in the corner of the room, "Zack, Doctor Chase is here to check on you."

The deep aquamarine color shimmered, if Sephiroth wasn't mistaken, it showed anger and fear. Those kinds of emotions were things he just wasn't used to seeing on that face. It was disheartening to say the least.

Chase took a step toward him, "Lieutenant, I need to take a look at you."

Not thinking it was possible, Zack shrunk back farther into the corner and lowered his head, his eyes shown through the black mess of hair, focused. The doctor couldn't hear it, but Sephiroth quickly grabbed the white coat clad Doctor and pulled him back behind him.

When the Doctor finally heard the growl, Zack was already lunging for him and got Sephiroth instead. Cloud grabbed the Doctor that lay on the ground and pulled him out to the hall. The General had a hold of Zack's wrists, but the sad eyes of the Lieutenant found Cloud. Zack's weight alone had Sephiroth pinned to the wall.

"Sir, please, let me," Cloud approached him and offered his arm. This time, instead of grabbing his arm, he took Cloud by the back of his neck and pulled him to his shoulder and backed away. Cloud tried not to struggle with the side of his face firmly in the taller man's shoulder. Quietly he talked to Zack, "The Doctor just wants to know that you're alright. I'll be right here, he won't hurt you. Will you Doctor?"

"N-no Zack, I'm not going to hurt you."

Not letting go of Cloud, or loosening his grip, he quietly relented, "Okay."

Zack backed all the way to the wall and stopped. With Cloud still firmly in his grasp, the doctor slowly pulled out his stethoscope and listened to his lungs. Getting his blood pressure was a little more challenging. At one point, he accidentally brushed his skin and his grip on Cloud tightened, cutting off the majority of Cloud's air supply.

Choking out, "Z-zaac-k" A tap on the arm that held him, got released enough to regain his ability to breathe.

Checking his eyes was easily the hardest thing so far. The bright glowing blue/violet eyes never seemed to stay on one thing for very long before he shifted his gaze.

"Lieutenant, please be still, the sooner I get this done, the sooner you can go eat."

Cloud had his arms around the taller man's waist to maintain the contact and his airway open. A tiny squeeze and a few words to boost his cooperation, the new third got him relaxed enough to finish the physical torture that it seemed to put Zack through.

Getting the examination out-of-the-way, Cloud took Zack to the kitchen and gave him his cereal, "I know you wanted pancakes, but I burned them, but I've got cereal instead."

Sephiroth watched from the hallway until he left to meet the Doctor in the elevator, "Well, did you find anything?"

"I didn't find anything that I didn't already know while he was in the hospital," Angrily pushing the elevator buttons, the Doctor boarded the elevator car.

"So yet again, we have nothing."

"I need to do some blood work. That's going to be an endeavor; you do know that we will have to sedate him."

Sephiroth begrudgingly nodded.

* * *

Genesis met Lazard outside his office, "Sir, I have an idea that I want to try. I already have Reno willing to, dare I say, help."

Sitting down at his desk, the Director sadly stated, "I hope it is better than what I've seen so far."

With his red gloved hand on the doorknob he informed the tall blond, "Reno can get Zack to talk to us if he still isn't talking by next week," Lazard busied himself with his paperwork.

Leaving the Director's office, he went straight to his and Sephiroth's joint office. The red-head's phone rang and when he picked it up, listened and then spoke to his colleague, "Come on Seph, Reno has something." The Major waved Sephiroth to follow.

Dutifully, they met Reno in the cramped surveillance room. Watching the monitors, the story unfolded before their eyes when Sephiroth said, "We need to get him talking soon."

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	15. The Trouble with Turks

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I mentioned this in the update for Heart, (I just copied and pasted it.) but I have been so emotional lately and when I read other stories, I get even more emotional. Sometimes, I'll write a scene in my story, or read a scene in another story and spontaneously burst into tears. Two days ago, my six-year-old daughter got her first loose tooth! Yay! I think my twelve-year-old son was more excited about it than she was. After they went to bed, I cried for a good hour about it. I guess it is because she is the youngest. However, we are waiting on it to fall out and she is anxiously waiting for the tooth fairy!

I've had so many things on my mind and things happening. Since I lost my job, I decided to go back to school. At least I'll be in school when my kiddos are! I really suck at math, maybe my twelve-year-old will help with my math homework! Writing is my only outlet anymore, it also relaxes me so I will continue to write. Hopefully going back to school will help me improve on writing, so that I can write better than the crap I've got posted on this site. Now, enough rambling *now I'm getting upset because I'm wasting your time, ugh! (I mumble under my breath, "stupid hormones or whatever it is that's wrong with me)*, let's get down to business shall we?

This chapter has some innocent exchanges and a bit of innuendo between two men. Any yaoi that happens in this story, will be mostly implied. I want to focus on the mystery, not any romance, at least at this point. This chapter is way longer than I wanted, sorry, but I had a lot of things that I needed to put in this.

~Quick side note, I was watching the Star Trek movie that came out a year or so ago and I started thinking about the original show. The title of one of the shows was "The Trouble with Tribbles" and that is where I got the title for this chapter.

To the guest reviewers, I can't thank you personally by PM like the other reviewers, so here is your reply: Thank you so much for taking time to read and review!

Oh and FYI, Zack is a **lot** creepy here, but let's just remember that he is severely traumatized. Okie dokie?

Cloud is such a good guy. I just want to... uh never mind that... I, well... (ahem) -Moving on... Why don't we all join in a group hug and put him in the middle, he deserves it!

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." –Mahatma Ghandi

Chapter 15

~The Trouble with Turks~

Over a week later and early in the morning, Cloud woke to Zack staring at him. It was ceasing to startle him, but at the same time he hated that he was getting used to it. Somewhat ignoring Zack, he got to the bathroom, started the shower and got in. While he was washing his hair, some shampoo got in his eyes. He hated when that happened. His mother always had the situation fixed with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, but his mother wasn't there. Not that he would ask her because he was too old for her help, so he had to deal with himself. Realizing how much he missed his mother, he planned on calling her soon.

Turning his back to the spray of water, he noticed that Zack was now standing in the shower with him, "Stop scaring me! You're going to freakin give me a heart attack or something and I'm too young to die!" Lowering his eyes, he noticed that Zack was standing in the shower wearing his sleep pants. Then came the million gil question, "W-Why are in here with me?" Pushing at him to urge him to get out, Zack didn't budge. Under his breath, a muttered, "Dammit," bounced of the acoustically challenged room.

Disgruntled, Cloud asked, "Are you going to get out?" Again, the taller man didn't move from his spot. The teen was starting to regret his decision to stay here in the Soldier program, "Alright, geez, I guess this is how it's going to be then?" Bright aquamarine eyes glimmered as he looked at the younger man's face. It was obvious that he wasn't going to leave, so he shut his eyes and prayed to anyone one who would listen, "I sure as hell hope no one hears about this," With a sigh, Cloud informed the larger man, "Fine! You need a bath anyway." The trainee was elated that it was a large bathtub so they had plenty of room, but it still didn't make it any easier for him.

Standing there staring at each other for several moments, Cloud realized that Zack was just going to stand there in his pants. Reaching out, he untied Zack's pants and because they were wet, they stuck to his muscular legs, so the blond had to push them down. Lifting one foot at a time, he removed the pants and glanced to his left and his eyes grew wide at the Lieutenant's nakedness that was quite literally in his face. Having been poked in the hip and butt cheek during the night and morning by it several times before, he had no idea what the man was gifted with. Night time and mornings were always kind of embarrassing for guys so Cloud never paid it much attention. To alleviate being poked, Cloud just moved over, or simply got up. Dreams and physiology did terrible things sometimes and quite often at completely wrong times.

In the back of his mind, he was pretty proud of his own, he recalled that he was bigger than most of the other guys in the barracks. However, Zack was a bit bigger than him… -Wait, w_hat? _Shaking his head, he thought to himself, 'Focus Cloud.'

Although attracted to women, he always wanted Tifa to be his first. However, there was only one man that he found himself attracted to once, however, the beating he got by his hand a few months ago ended that rather quickly. Now he found himself looking at Zack in a different way, but he was fighting that with everything he had in him. In fact, he already had a small list that he made up right there on the spot of why he didn't want Zack in that way.

The only other person that knew about the blonde's confusion was Jamie. That was only because Jamie just so happened to notice a few things like his small variety of magazines for both men and women. Notice? More like they fell out from his hiding place in his bunk and went sliding across the tile floor. When his friend asked him about it, Cloud told him the truth, he just didn't know yet.

Anyway, one of the reasons that he didn't want the Lieutenant in a sexual way was that he was crazy. The terrible thing was that it was increasingly difficult to sleep with a good-looking man right next to him and fighting his urges not to touch him. Besides, Zack's preference was women as far as he knew.

Taking a deep breath to calm his increasing anger and frustration at his own stirring of feelings, he imagined that this was just like the barracks showers, nothing more, "Switch me places," Moving Zack closer to the shower head, Cloud stuck the head full of black spikes under the firm spray, "You need a haircut," Washing his hair, his back and moving down, his hands grazed the firm ass as he got to his legs. Closing his eyes, Cloud fought every hormone in his body to keep his feelings of lust at bay. Holding the soap out and waiting for Zack to take it, the blond ordered, "You can wash your front."

Looking at the soap, Cloud crossed his fingers that he would wash himself; otherwise, he would just have to go unwashed. With his silent prayers answered, Zack began soaping up his chest. Cloud thought that his rear would just have to not be washed if Zack didn't get to it himself.

Asking out of sheer curiosity, Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Is this the reason you haven't showered before now? Do you really _need_ me to help you with bathing too?" The fact that this man was so completely dependent on him still sent shivers of dread up his spine. It was the same thing that he felt from the beginning.

Almost seemingly embarrassed, Zack lowered his eyes to the bottom of the tub. Shyly looking down, he became distracted by his toes as they curled and slid back and forth over the bathtub treads. Cloud began to think that his voice didn't get above a certain volume anymore. When the raven haired man failed to answer audibly, the blond mentally rolled his eyes and said, "Never mind." All Cloud could hear was the sound of water raining down against his firm skin. It was obvious that was one of his problems.

Finished showering, they both got out, Cloud wrapped a towel around his own narrow waist and proceeded to towel dry Zack's hair with another towel, "Since you showered first, it might be easier for me to cut your hair now." Standing completely still after drying himself, Zack allowed the blond to move him so that he was sitting on the toilet lid for his haircut. The brunette relaxed and closed his eyes at the feel of the brush running through his hair.

Pulling out some scissors, Cloud cut a good six inches of hair off, leaving Zack's hair at shoulder length, "There. You're bathed and have a new haircut. Almost like a brand new man," Disposing of the hair in the trash, Cloud asked, "Are you hungry?"

With a nod, Zack whispered, "Yes."

"Let's get some clothes on and then we can go eat," Picking out their clothes for the day, Zack got his own boxers and shorts on. As a trade off though, he refused to put a shirt on by himself, so Cloud again had to take charge. Being the assertive and dominant one in their weird relationship was fine with the younger man as he pictured himself in that role in any relationship he would have anyway. That was another reason he didn't want the Lieutenant. Zack didn't exactly strike him as the passive type, normally. However, he wouldn't mind calling him a friend.

Sitting at the table with two bowls of cereal, Cloud set one in front of the sitting, quiet man, "You know Lieutenant," Zack's eyes darted up from his cereal to glare at Cloud, "Uh, sorry, Zack. You know Zack, if you ever want to talk, I will listen."

Pausing long enough to swallow the mouthful of cereal, he stared at the bowl in front of him, "I know…"

"Can you tell me why you want me around and not your friends?"

This time when Zack looked up, his face covered in despair, loneliness and fear, "You… you're not like them…"

Intrigued, Cloud leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, he studied the man across from him. The entire time since they had him back, this was the most information that he had released. He figured that while Zack was giving up information, he would get as much as he could, "What do you mean?"

Leaving his spoon in the now empty bowl, he pulled his knees up to his chest and balanced himself on the seat, "You're different, not like…"

"Different how?"

Wrapping his arms around his knees and lowering his chin, "You're not like the others, they are…," His voice began to trail off.

Cloud had to get him to focus back to what he was recalling, but he was starting to feel impatient, he asked louder, "What are they like?"

"They are… mean…"

With raised eyebrows, the Third Class Soldier asked, "Who?"

The sound of the front door opening got their attention and Cloud saw that it was a red-headed man with sunglasses high on his forehead. Another man who was bald followed him in and closed the door quietly. Both men had matching suits, but the red-head looked a little on the sloppy side, "He is talking about his captors I'm sure."

"Who are you?" Cloud stood and unconsciously stepped in front of Zack, protectively blocking their view of him, "Oh, I remember, you were the pilot of the helicopter."

"Right-O Cloudy boy. We are here to help the good Lieutenant and you to overcome some… obstacles in your relationship."

"What obstacles?" Reno passed Cloud and when the Third Class watched Reno, turning his back to the other Turk.

A small nod of Reno's head as he spoke, "I mean that maybe we can get to the bottom of this."

Snapping into action at Reno's words, Rude got a hard elbow to the back of the smaller man's neck. Stumbling forward, the larger Turk grabbed the collar of the teen's shirt and pulled him back and down into one of the dining room chairs. Unfortunately the blonde's struggles were futile as he quickly found out. Back when he first got to Shinra, Cloud heard stories that Turks knew ways that could help take down a Soldier. Not to mention, Rude was way more experienced in a fight than the still green Third.

Zack didn't move from his spot at the table; however his growing concern was clear as his young companion was soon tied tightly to the solid chair. Zack's aqua eyes watered as they bounced between looking at Cloud, struggling against the larger Turk, and the red-head across the table from him.

"Okay Lieutenant, it's time to talk," Reno pulled a chair out, turned it backwards and straddled it, leaning his arms across the sturdy wooden back.

Getting a gag into Cloud's mouth was a little more difficult than Rude had anticipated. The blond wasn't going to make this easy for him, and why should he? A perfect opportunity happened when Rude's finger got a little too close to Cloud's teeth. Clamping down, the Third Class Soldier tried to take the finger off, but a well-placed punch to the side of his head stopped the attempted amputation.

Rude grit his teeth and wrapped his bloody finger and spoke quietly in his ear, "We don't like this anymore than you do kid." Cloud shook his head trying to shake off the pain, a bloody string of saliva hung from his lips as he spit it out.

"Sure we do Rude," Reno smirked at the tied up blond, "It's our job." Cloud wiggled, but the chair held tight, whatever knot that the bald Turk used was tightening up around his wrists the more he moved. Pretty soon his hands began feeling a bit numb, "You might want to calm down kid, with a lack of circulation, you can lose your hands," Reno winked at him then turned his attention back to Zack.

Rude stood next to the now still blond while he pulled on some gloves, even over his wounded finger. Big blue round eyes looked back at the gloved hands of the Turk next to him with an apprehension that quickly turned to anger. Screaming through the gag, "Yooo aann oo iss!" Cloud made very little head way in stopping the interrogation, only jerking the chair a few inches forward.

Not taking his eyes off of Zack, Reno addressed Cloud, "Sure we can pretty boy, we can do this and we will," Reno's answer got a reaction out of the Third as he jerked around in his bindings again. The ropes tightened on his wrists more and he let out a disapproving moan of pain. Zack glared at Reno then glanced at Cloud and then back to the red-head. Reno had a twinkle in his eyes as he addressed the Lieutenant, "Now, answer the questions and we won't hurt your pretty little cuddle monkey."

Zack lunged forward, but hesitated and that hesitation is what the Turk took advantage of. Reno was expecting this and with quick reflexes, he pushed forward on the table, shoving Zack against the wall, trapping him. Reno nodded to Rude and he then punched Cloud. At the sound of a thick, leather-covered fist hitting flesh and Cloud's moaning grunt, Zack whimpered and turned is flaring eyes back to Reno. Much to the teen's disappointment, the finger he bit wasn't on his punching hand.

"Now Lieutenant, answer me, who took you?" Withholding the answer got Cloud punched again and Zack's eyes saddened at the sight of the blond, gagged and a small trickle of blood dripping from his nose, over the gag and down the front of his shirt, "Are you going to answer me? I mean, we can go all day if you want to, I had my Wheaties this morning and so did Rude. Didn't you Rude?"

Nodding an affirmative, Rude punched Cloud again, this time in the stomach.

"Lieutenant? Well? Who was it?"

Hesitantly, the man pinned to the wall looked back at Cloud, "…I don't know."

"Okay, well where did they take you?" Reno pushed the table forward more, the edge digging into Zack's ribs.

Raising his voice, he flinched at his answer, "A lab…"

"Really? Where was this lab?"

A small whisper, almost inaudible by the other three men in the room, "…I don't know where it was…"

Reno relaxed his hold on the table, but just enough to allow Zack to breathe easier, "So, you were held by someone in a lab? Is that correct?" Zack nodded and dropped his eyes, "In the entire nine months that you were held, you never heard a name?"

"…Hojo…"

"What is a Hojo?"

"He… hurt me," Then he whispered, "Professor Hojo," Tears fell over his lids, down his cheeks. A flood gate opened and they saw his memories play out across his face. It hurt Reno to see the pain he relived in his head from the questioning, but he had to get him talking. They had to find who was doing this and the small window of opportunity was closing. Putting his hard Turk face on and twisting it just enough to let on his indifference he continued the interrogation.

Reno pressed against the table again, Zack jerked back, "What did this Professor Hojo do to you?" Again, hurt and pain covered his features, almost like a mask. A terrifying mask of despair that Reno really didn't want any part of, but here he was. Not answering, the red-head nodded to Rude, a quick succession of punches to the kid's stomach and face got a scream of fright out of Zack, "Did we hit a nerve?" Turk assets played to his advantage on more than one occasion, loved ones were always the best leverage, "Answer my question Lieutenant."

Dripping blood soaked through the jeans in the lap of the boy tied to the chair as his head hung in painful exhaustion. His face was low and he barely stayed conscious. Even though the Turks were getting some information out of Zack, it was the kid that was paying the price. Rude had hit him so many times that he was understandably reluctant to look up anymore. Whenever he did, the hard fist made painful contact with his already tender face and his stomach.

Cloud could hear the soft sobs of the raven haired man pinned to the wall as Reno relentlessly questioned him.

"Lieutenant! Answer me. What did he do to you?"

Rolling his arms up to his chest, he held himself and mumbled almost incoherently, "Dark rooms, needles… knives and I'm all alone… except for… them…"

"Hojo tortured you with needles and knives?"

"No…experiments, he experimented on me and called me specimen B-3," Zack's tears welled up again and his look was painful as he sorrowfully looked toward his young caregiver from the last couple of weeks, "Please let him go now," Slowly reaching for the blond, Zack's outstretched fingers grasp at air, then he lowered his arm back to his chest and fresh tears wet his cheeks.

"As soon as we have all the questions answered. I want to know how they got you in the first place," Reno's eyes became a cold and calculating stare, "When you entered the reactor, how did they overpower you?"

"…Ambush, they hit me and injected me with something. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, but I could see and feel... e-everything," Finally raising his eyes so that Reno could see how bloodshot they were becoming, he begged, "Please don't take me back."

"Tell me what happened after that and I won't send you or little Blondie boy back to the lab," Zack stared straight ahead, not looking at anyone. Reno moved his face into his line of sight, "Lieutenant? What happened next?"

Jerking away from the memory of a past attack, Zack shook his head and his shoulders trembled as if the temperature dropped fifty degrees, "I got taken to a lab… on a surgical… t-table," Choking on the words, getting them stuck in his throat, thick and sickeningly foul-tasting words. He hitched forward as he gagged, "He… H-he c-c-cut me o-open…" He stuttered, straining against the sobs.

Cloud struggled again and Rude made contact with his stomach. Reno ignored the noise that the blond was making behind him, "What else did he do? For nine months, what did he do?"

Reno sat still, a stoic and composed master of his emotions, the exact opposite of Zack at that moment. Although he didn't show it, anger rose to higher levels in his chest the more answers that the emotionally mutilated man revealed. Finally breaking the silence, the Lieutenant gagged again, but this time he expelled his breakfast to the table top.

Reno added sadly, "That bad huh?"

"Reno!" Suddenly being pulled up by the back of his suit jacket, Sephiroth made the red-headed Turk painfully aware of his displeasure of the questionable actions, "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Reno pulled himself quickly to his feet and stood up to the General, "I'm doing what you're too much of a pussy to do yourself."

"Get out of here you fucking leaches!" Sephiroth grabbed both Turks by their arms and roughly pushed them into the door.

"You don't want to know the information we got? It is pretty interesting," Reno's face unceremoniously met the door frame, "Oww! Fuckin bastard!"

"I think that is enough for today Reno," Genesis dodged the falling Turk as he got hurled out the door.

Zack pushed the table back and went straight to the now unconscious blond. Fumbling with the restraints, he eventually got him free, falling forward Cloud's limp body contacted the floor with a thick thud.

Genesis stepped around Sephiroth and toward the kid on the floor as the General finished escorting the Turks to the elevator, "Is he okay?"

Zack leapt between the two and quickly stood up in the face of the red Major. Towering over him, the Lieutenant allowed the flaming glow of adrenaline and mako, engulf his eyes. Backing away, Genesis ran into the hard chest of the General.

As if seeing a re-play of the recording from the other night, Zack's eyes then flashed green and softly lit the slightly darkened room.

Genesis put his hands up in surrender, Sephiroth took one of the Major's arms and pulled himself and his second in command out the door, "Zackary, we are leaving. We will check on you a little later."

Watching as the door closed behind them, Zack turned back to the smaller man on the floor. Picking him up with a grunt, he took him to the bedroom and lay him down. Slowly and with gentle care, he wiped the drying blood off of his face and neck with a warm wash cloth. Once his face was cleaned, Zack threw the cloth across the room, curled up to the boy. Wrapping his arms around himself, the once jovial man cried.

* * *

FYI: Hojo is not known regularly in this story. None of the Soldiers or Turks know him at this point.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	16. Unforeseen Ramifications

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I do not really know much of anything about street drugs so I made one up. As far as I know, Rizadabrate (Rise) is not a real drug, only in my mind. I did do some research, but I made a decision about it for the story's purposes. I didn't want to use an established drug because I wanted the freedom to have the effects of the drugs of my own design.

I do not have a beta, so forgive any mistakes and just enjoy them, I do!

* * *

"Failure is blindness to the strategic element in events; success is readiness for instant action when the opportune moment arrives." –Newell D. Hillis

Chapter 16

~Unforeseen Ramifications~

Standing on the outside of the raven haired First's door, they looked at each other in disbelief. As if they were speaking telepathically, they both took off in a dead run, racing the Turks to the surveillance floor. Having known each other for so long, fighting side by side for so many years, they almost were of one mind. Without any verbal cues to the other, Genesis took to the stairs. Sephiroth slid into the closing elevator doors scaring two women that had been lucky enough to have their ride interrupted by the naturally seductive silver-haired gentleman.

It was only seven floors difference between the SOLDIER living quarters floor and the cubed off video floor that the Turks claimed as theirs. Everyone knew that it wasn't solely the Turks jurisdiction, but it was well known that they used it more often than others.

The eyes of the women were startled, but then relaxed as they looked over the fine specimen of a man who stood before them. Sephiroth nervously bowed his head and respectfully addressed them, "Ladies."

After studying him for a few moments, the taller of the two women spoke, "Hello General, how is your day going?"

"Actually, it is not turning out very well," When the elevator doors opened, he took his leave and quickly addressed them again, "Ladies." Squeezing through the half open doors, he saw Genesis as he ran down the hall. Catching up with the Major, they burst through the door to the larger room and over to room 17H.

"Well hello boys, we figured you would show up here," Reno smugly crossed his arms as Rude was rewinding the recordings.

As Genesis held him from killing the Turk right there, Sephiroth spit out, "Just what do you think you were doing in there?"

Still wearing a smirk, Reno's eyes went straight to Genesis, "I was just following orders."

Immediately turning to his friend he asked, "Genesis? That was your idea?"

"Well it wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but yes," Genesis faced the angry General.

Boiling and bubbling over in a volcanic display of emotion, the black gloved hands took a tight hold of the muscular neck of the Major, "Do you know that it might cause irreparable damage? What are you going to do now that he doesn't trust us?"

Reno stood and tried to interrupt, but got shoved back by the imposing silver man. Sephiroth's unique eyes glared at him, if he could have shot ice out of his eyes, Reno would be a red-headed Turk-sicle.

Rude's interference got all three sets of eyes looking at him, "Excuse me, whenever you are done showing off your muscles, the video is ready," Reno spun to take the only other chair and was thwarted by Genesis.

They all watched in silence, the highest ranking Soldiers simultaneously asked, "Professor Hojo?"

Sephiroth asked both Turks, hoping that one of them had an answer, "Have you ever heard of this person?"

The red Turk turned and rested his rear on the counter, "Nope, but we are working on it. As soon as we know, you'll know," Reno raised one hand in the air holding up the first two fingers of his hand, "Turk promise."

Sephiroth scoffed, "I'll believe it when I see it. The only promise that Turks abide by is that you will stab us in the back with the same knife you used to defend us," Staring down the Turk again, the silver one narrowed his eyes and leaned toward him, "Just for finding out _some_ information, I will give you a ten second head start before I begin to pummel you out of existence."

"Well we have to go anyway. You know finding stuff out and everything. Ciao!" Once the Turks took their leave, both of them finished watching the recording.

Seeing Zack take the kid into the bedroom, wash his face and then begin to cry next to him, they couldn't hold back their concern.

A deep gravelly voice behind Genesis angrily talked through clenched teeth, "I am going to find this Hojo and tear him into several pieces before he is able to take his last breath."

On more than one level, Genesis believed that he would do it and he couldn't exactly blame him, he wanted the same thing.

Leaving to get the doctor back to the residence soon after the Turks left the surveillance booth, both firsts watched with interest as Chase tried to talk Zack into letting him examine the still unconscious blond, "Lieutenant, he may be seriously injured. I need to check him out to make sure," Chase stood there with his hands slightly up showing Zack that he wasn't armed. He whispered over his shoulder, "Would one of you help me here?"

Genesis took a step in front of the doctor and addressed the man crouched on the bed next to Cloud, "Zack, please, if he is injured badly, he won't be able to stay here. The doctor is here to fix him so that he can still take care of you."

Zack's head tilted to the side listening until he sat next to Cloud, "_Placere sanare et amici mei curantis et ne coneris quicquam quod adepto vos…_"

The two Soldiers collectively uttered, "Huh?"

The low glow of turquoise brightened as Zack looked at them expectantly. The General broke the silence first, "Well…say something to him Genesis," A nudge with Sephiroth's hand knocked Genesis forward a step.

"And what exactly do I say Seph? For all I know, he told me to go rape the nearest tree," The Major stepped back again.

A loud sigh startled all three men as the Turk leader stood behind them, "He said that he wants the doctor to heal his friend and not to try anything or he will hurt him."

Sephiroth turned and quickly asked the black haired Turk, "How do you know what he is saying?"

"It is a dead language, no longer used and if I told you why I know it, I would have to kill you," Tseng's face did not alter in emotion as he remained calmly looking at each man in turn, but he continued, "I was told that I needed to come see the Lieutenant about his being held prisoner by a Professor Hojo."

Slowly approaching the downed blond, the Chase was allowed to touch him as Zack looked on in guarded interest.

Tseng addressed them formally, to attract their attention more readily, "General. Major. Have you heard him speak in this language before?"

Both of them shook their heads in the negative. Everything that they had witnessed with him so far, nothing like this had happened. Suddenly remembering something, Genesis unconsciously looked at Zack as he then studied the Doctor, "No, but during the stop off in Nibelheim, we came across some ledgers that were written in a language that I hadn't ever seen."

"We need to get back to Nibelheim and get those materials. I may be able to decipher them if they are the same language and find out just what is going on here," Tseng handed the small folder that he was holding to Sephiroth, "Right now though, I was asked to bring these to you while I was here."

"What are these?" Sephiroth asked absently as he began to read through the few official looking documents.

"You both have missions," Tseng ignored the dirty looks he received and continued, "So while you are gone, I have been put in charge of the Lieutenant and Third Class Strife."

"I am not pleased with this," Sephiroth didn't want to leave while Zack seemed to be in a new level of his psychosis. Watching his friend, he was just on the other side of the beaten blond, keeping a very close watch on the doctor. Changing his position on the bed, his knees pulled to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs. The bright violet shimmered in curiosity, until he looked up at his General.

The shimmer turned into a flame waiting to blow up, but he didn't move from his spot. Instead, he ground out angrily, "_Non veniunt propius_…"

Sephiroth immediately looked at Tseng and with a sigh of minor irritation Tseng translated, "He doesn't want you to come any closer."

With a hurt look, Sephiroth fought the urge to run out of the room and lock himself up in his own apartment and shoot up his entire stash of Rizadabrate. That had always been his favorite, his dealer told him that on the street it was known as Rise. Why did Zack suddenly hate him? Perhaps if he were to get the ledgers, the answer would be there. The General had to ask him, "Zackary, will getting the journals help you and the situation as it stands?"

"_Nescio quid de ephemeribus_."

Tseng shook his head in the negative, "He doesn't know anything about any journals."

The Major, having been silent for so long, asked, "Why are you speaking in another language all of a sudden?"

"_Nisi forte mirabiliter me_."

Tseng asked Zack immediately, "What do you mean that terrible things happen?"

Shifting around uncomfortably, Zack lowered his eyes and spoke virtually silently, "_Dum loquor, velit lacus. Ille, non nocebit me sicut male aliter."_

Turning to the two firsts Tseng recounted, "Apparently, this Hojo person liked it when he talked in this language. Sometimes bad things would happen to him if he didn't."

Sephiroth turned quickly on Genesis, struck him, knocking him into the wall and before Genesis was completely to the floor, the General was on him. Straddling and pinning him to the floor, straight silver hair draped around his face, framing it to accentuate his lonely pain. While his hands were again around the crimson Major's throat, Sephiroth spit out like venom, "So it did do damage, the questioning from the Turks. Now he will only speak in this Gaia forsaken language that no one understands!"

"Seph, how was I supposed to know that this would happen?" Genesis struggled under the stronger man.

Tseng intervened, "May I suggest you both get to your mission briefings."

Slowly and reluctantly, the General released his friend and stood, "I'm going… but this isn't over Genesis…"

Before Sephiroth made it out into the hallway, Brady spoke, "Strife is okay now, he had some minor internal bleeding, a broken rib, fractured nose and his jaw was dislocated. Rude worked him over pretty good. I have given him a mako booster and he should be fine in no time, given that he gets plenty of rest for the next couple of days."

The Turk leader nodded, "I will be here to help out," Looking at the Firsts, he requested, "Bring back those ledgers." Out of the corner of his eye, Dr. Chase dug around in his medical bag before he left. Watching as he went, Tseng thought how Brady was acting nervous. Surely he wouldn't be so nervous around Zack after his reassurances.

"Of course," Genesis took his leave.

Pulling out his phone, Tseng made quick work of the conversation with the other Turk and returned his attention to the two men on the bed.

* * *

The entire walk to the director's office, Sephiroth said nothing. So to fill the silence and to also let him know why, he began, "Seph, I'm sorry, but we were getting nowhere and we needed that information." Not saying a word, the silver haired man pursed his lips closed and crossed his arms. To Genesis, he resembled a pouting child, but learning from experience, the Major knew that Sephiroth's pout had a seriously painful bite, "Seph, I know you understand my reasoning. Just think, now we have information that we didn't have before."

The elevator hummed and caressed the thick aggravation that polluted the enclosed space. Finally looking at his second in command, he growled, "You better hope that his current condition isn't permanent." Stepping from the elevator, he strode down the hall to Lazard's office.

Walking slower, it gave Genesis some time to think. Perhaps he had gone too far in asking a Turk to do something as reckless as this to someone who was obviously in a fragile state. What was done is done, now to move on and get to the bottom of this whole mess.

"Sir, you have missions for us?" To ashamed to stand next to Sephiroth, he leaned against the door frame.

"Yes," Lazard looked to Sephiroth first, "General, you are to go to Junon. There seems to be a person there that may know this Hojo. You are to seek him out and question him. If possible, bring him back here for proper interrogation," Switching files, Lazard continued to Genesis, "You are to go back to Nibelheim and thoroughly search the surrounding areas for any sign of an underground holding facility. I want you to take a few other Soldiers with you so you can cover more ground."

In unison, "Yes sir."

As they made their way to the armory, Genesis again tried talking to Sephiroth, "I'll get those weird books from the cave and get them to Tseng. I promise we will get to the bottom of this and find out what happened to Zack and maybe Angeal too."

Still not saying anything and just grabbing his extra gear, he sneered a glance in the Major's direction and just as quickly left the room, leaving Genesis in his wake of sadness.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	17. A Whole New Set of Problems

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: Sorry for being late with this update. I said this over on my other story, Heart. I am starting school at the end of this month and I have to really buckle down and do well in school, my kiddos are depending on me. I suppose you could say that at my age this could be my last chance to do what my family needs, so if the updates slow down that is why.

For a long time, I considered writing was something that I _had_ to do for my own sanity and escapism from my life. I was stressing myself out by thinking like that. After something happened a little over a week ago, I had an epiphany. I realized that writing was something that I _wanted_ to do, a hobby. There is a difference in my mind. Because of that realization, I am more relaxed about my skill, or lack of skill, while writing these stories that I feel passionate about.

To Arien: Thank you for that fantastic review. The emotions and how deeply they feel about Zack, Angeal and what happened to both of them is something that I was worried about getting across. To me, the Turks are always an added bonus when it comes to getting the dirty jobs done and being the designated black ops assholes. Some stories like them more humane, some less than human, and I like to see a variety, but I chose a little something in between. My take on Reno is that he is good at his job, but he doesn't always have to like it.

Now, lets see what could possibly happen to the guys that we all love...

Thank you **SubZeroChimera** for being my brand new beta! Yee Haw!

* * *

"They can because they think they can." –Virgil

Chapter 17

~A Whole New Set of Problems~

Arriving back in Nibelheim, Genesis quickly sounded off orders to the other five Soldiers, "Sergeant White take the new Private and go check out that mansion. Corporal Stip and Specialist Castle go to the reactor. Sergeant Jefferson come with me to that weird room with the ledgers."

Without much else, Genesis was soon accompanied by Sergeant Charles Jefferson, Second Class. Not wanting to talk, the Major kept up his pace. Listening to the sound of his breaths and the odd noises made by the various monsters that lined the trail, the feeling of being watched piqued his Soldier senses. Without a word, a single flinch of the Major's hand got the other man's attention and he quickly and silently got in position and ready.

Falling back several paces, Jefferson pulled his large eight inch hunting knife effortlessly from his waistband sheath.

A quiet rustle to the side of the trail preceded the large Nibel wolf attacking in a rush. Swiftly dodging to the left, Jefferson sliced down the side of the wolf. It let out a cry of pain and anger, then turned on the Soldier with a dancing glow to the feral eyes.

With the high levels of natural mako in the mountains, and the reactor that brought more mako up to the surface, the wolves had adapted and evolved to a devilish semblance to what they once were so many years ago. Now, they were larger and a radiant silver color with great glowing eyes that seemed to focus on everything all at once. A shudder of revulsion went down Jefferson's spine at the sight of a piece of flesh still stuck in between some of the teeth next to the long, sharp fangs.

Reaching behind him, he took his sword in hand and wielded both blades as the wolf charged again. Instinct and hard training kicked in and he jumped up and landed a blow to the back of its neck. Leaving the knife firmly imbedded under its skin, the muscles held it tight as the blood from the wound began to pool under the spot where it skidded to a stop. Taking his sword, he quickly ended its life with a jab to its heart.

Springing to the side, Genesis dodged a larger wolf just as it lunged. Without breaking a sweat, the wolf lost its head by the beautifully maintained rapier.

"Now that we have gotten some warm up exercises, be on the lookout Sergeant," The red Major turned and continued his trek up into the mountain pass.

"Yes Sir," Charles caught up to Genesis and kept pace with him, "Sir, if I may ask. What is it that we are looking for up here?" Not a word came from the silent red leather clad man so he decided to ask another question, "Does it have anything to do with the Lieutenant?"

Genesis quickened his pace. Did he want to answer the question? The situation with Zack was a need to know basis, "I didn't realize that you and the Lieutenant were acquainted."

"Well not really, but a friend of mine has been on a couple of missions with him," Charles kicked at a few pebbles that littered the path, "I've talked to him a few times after briefings and training."

An eyebrow rose under the cascade of red hair, "Well if you really must know, we are on a mission to retrieve some books for the Turks to translate."

With a fair amount of humored anger, Charles scoffed, "Turks? Since when do we do missions for the damned Turks?"

A smirk raised a corner of the crimson Major's lips, "Since when have you ever known the Turks able to do anything without our help?" Red leather gloves covered his eyes from the sun as they cut over to see the slightly shorter man. An odd feeling wafted to his senses, just when things started to get interesting in the conversation they found what they came to find, "There's the cave we're looking for."

Entering the cave, Genesis didn't slow until he reached the odd room with the leather-bound ledgers. Dropping his pack from his shoulders, the Sergeant began placing them inside the bag as the Major handed them to him. On the third one, Charles straightened when he actually looked at the cover, "Sir, I believe that I've seen writing like this before."

Taking the last two ledgers from the small bookshelf, Genesis inquired, "Oh?"

"Yes Sir. I grew up not far from here, over in Jessup. The town's doctor had odd writing in his office that looked a lot like this," Loading the fifth and last ledger in the bag, he closed it and slung it to his back.

Losing himself in his thoughts, many possibilities drifted through. If this Hojo character was indeed in Jessup, perhaps he should pay him a visit. Although, Tseng was expecting these journals and it could have useful information that could be a great benefit. Taking a step toward the small table with surgical equipment, he shuddered.

A gloved hand ran fingers over the rusty metal objects. From what he had heard, some from gossip, some from reading and putting two and two together, and very little from Sephiroth, there was a reason for Sephiroth's apprehension with doctors and hospitals.

"Sir, is there anything else that we need to take?"

Closing his eyes and sighing, he turned and fixed his gaze at the other man, "No, Sergeant, I believe that will be it," Leading the way to the exit, Genesis struck up a conversation, "So, tell me about Jessup."

"Well there's not much to tell, it's a small town, not too much smaller than Nibelheim."

"What about this doctor?" As the down slope of the trail became steeper, they unconsciously sped up. The roof tops of the buildings were already coming into view.

"Oh, yeah, the writing on the books," Charles shifted the weight on his back to a more comfortable position, "Yeah he was really weird, and a lot of the kids were scared of him."

"Well that's nothing. Many children are scared of their doctor."

"I guess so, but Hojo was just a strange kind of guy-"

Stopping abruptly, Genesis put his hand on the other man's arm, "What was that name?"

Raising his eyebrows, he questioned, "Who? Hojo? Well, he preferred that everyone called him Professor Hojo. Nobody really knew why."

Could this be it? Was this the break they were looking for? Staring off in to space, Genesis let his thoughts churn. The strange writing, Zack talking in a strange language, and now the name that Zack had revealed was the same name as the doctor in the Sergeant's home town. Puzzle pieces were falling into place and it was actually starting to look like a picture.

"Sir?"

Being shaken from his thoughts, the red-head looked at the other man. Groping himself trying to find his phone, he failed to find it, "Damn it! My phone is gone."

Looking expectantly at the Sergeant, Genesis waited for him to pull out his phone. Shrugging his shoulders, Charles sheepishly looked at the Major, "Sorry, I left mine sitting on my dresser."

Cursing under his breath, Genesis began walking back to where the transport was waiting, "I must have lost it somewhere on the trail. Oh well, I'll worry about it later," The other two teams were waiting and Genesis wasted no time, "Report."

The mansion team spoke first, "We searched all the floors and rooms, but we found nothing but monsters and nests of more monsters."

The reactor team reported, "We found a great big chocobo egg, nothing, nada, zilch, zero-"

Exasperated, Genesis held up his hand, "Thank you Corporal, very detailed and thorough." Although he didn't have his phone, he came up with a plan, "Okay, the four of you head back to headquarters. The Sergeant and I have something that we need to check." Pulling the pack off of the Sergeant's shoulders, he hefted it to the Corporal, "Get these to Tseng so he can get to work on it."

As the helicopter left, Genesis started to walk back to town, "Let's go get some transportation, shall we?"

Getting to the Inn, the desk clerk glowered at the two Soldiers, "We don't serve Shinra here."

Without it bothering him, the Major leaned on the desk, "Well, no worries there, we were just leaving. We just need transportation, we missed our ride."

"Why don't you call more of that Shinra trash to pick you up?"

Deeply growing in anger, Genesis restrained himself from killing the man where he stood. A quiet voice and a soft tap on his back got the red Major's attention.

"Follow me, I can show the way out of town," The very petite woman who didn't look any older than thirty looked familiar. She had bright blond hair and large beautifully painted deep blue eyes. She looked at the clerk and nodded, "I'll get rid of them."

The woman glanced at the two men, "Please come with me." Following her back out to the street, she turned back to them, "Come on, I have a car. That's what you needed right?"

"Why are you not hostile towards us?"

The radiant smile drew his attention more, "Because, my son is a Soldier. Cloud Strife, he came here with you on that mission a while ago."

"Oh yes, I thought I saw a family resemblance," A sly smile crossed the Major's lips as he bowed shallowly, causing Claire to blush brightly, "I hate to end this wonderful chat, but I must say that we are in a bit of a hurry."

"Yes, yes I have the car, just let me go and get the key and you can leave."

When she came back with the key, he promptly said his goodbyes and the Sergeant drove, leaving the city limits behind them. Reaching the four-way stop, Charles turned right, "It is a fishing town right that sits right along the coast. It is only about an hour from here, so it's not too bad." Changing the subject as he drove, Charles asked, "What is it about Professor Hojo? Why did you want to know about him?"

"I am really not at liberty to say, but I will tell you that it has to do with the Lieutenant," Changing his tone, Genesis narrowed his eyes, "The only reason that I am telling you is because you have information that could be useful."

Never taking his eyes off of the road, he addressed the Major, "Of course Sir. I suppose that I can start with him just being creepy. He had these beady black eyes. They seemed to see down to your very core. Almost as if he could just reach in and take what he wanted out of you and never look back," Seeing a cringe in the Sergeant that told him that he didn't really want to continue, but Genesis urged him on, "Well, he would do blood tests on us every time we would come in. Regardless of what we came in for. There was this one time, my buddy, Joseph fell and broke his arm. His mom took him in and Hojo insisted that it had to be amputated because of infection."

"And you didn't believe that?"

"Well no, because the bone wasn't sticking out or nothing, it wasn't shaped weird, just a fracture."

"So what happened?"

"He took his arm and put on a prosthetic arm that he grafted into his skin right below his elbow. Then he insisted that he come in for check-ups every week," Charles paused and looked at the Major, "After playing together with our other friends all day, we went home for dinner. The next morning after breakfast, me and my other buddy, Frankie, went over to get him so we could go play ball. When we got there, the police were everywhere. Joseph had disappeared overnight and no one ever heard anything else."

"You think Professor Hojo was responsible?"

"The police said he ran away, but he wouldn't do that. His parents had already suffered losing his older brother when he had drowned a couple of years before. Joseph hated the thought of his mom being sad."

Taking in all the information about this man, it was looking more and more like this was the same guy. Not really thinking that there were two crazy psychoes named Hojo, so it only led to one conclusion. Now the trick was actually finding the man.

Pulling in town, it looked like a quaint little town and a great place to raise a kid. Charles pulled into a parking space outside the town clinic and turned off the car, "Here we are."

"Okay then, if you want to wait out here and watch out here, I'm going to see what I can find out."

"Yes Sir."

The inside of the clinic was old, but clean and well maintained. The small waiting room full of empty chairs led to the nurse at the desk. Then she asked him the age-old question, "May I help you?"

"Hello, I am looking for Professor Hojo. Would he happen to be available?" Admiring her long brown hair that she had braided over her shoulder covering part of her ample chest he let one corner of his mouth creep up in an erotic grin.

Resting her chin in her hand, she dreamily asked as her light green eyes sparkled, "And who may I ask is requesting him?"

Leaning on the desk, he replied with as much sensuality as his libido felt right then, "Major Genesis Rhapsodos, Soldier First Class." There was something about this nurse, the way her body moved, the sound of her voice, he wanted her. Never before had he been attracted to someone this quickly, but here he was _very_ aroused and ready to bend her over the front desk that he was leaning on.

Raising her eyebrows she smiled as she got up to escort him to the back, "I'll take you right to him."

Following the well-shaped nurse, they walked to another part of the clinic. With a great amount of concentration, he broke his eyes from the nurse's backside to investigate the clinic. Looking around, Genesis's Soldier senses went into alarm mode when he realized that the clinic was much bigger inside than it was outside, and on top of that, they were going downhill, he could only guess that it was underground.

When he stopped in the hallway, he reached for his sword and the pretty nurse turned, shook her head and said with a smile, "There is no need for that." The sharp pinch of a syringe puncturing his skin and its contents injected into his jugular dropped him to the floor.

* * *

I believe that I have mentioned it before, but I LOVE cliffhangers!

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	18. This is Your Brain on Drugs

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

A/N: I am basing the behavior of Sephiroth on the notion that he is not gay or bi. Since I am not a guy, this is my interpretation of how he would think. There is a sexual act and innuendo between two men in this chapter. If this offends you, I apologize and you can skip that scene if you would like, the italicized part is the flashback of what happens. Also, there is drug use in this chapter.

Thanks to my Beta **SubZeroChimera**!

* * *

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." –Harold R. McAlindon

Chapter 18

~This is Your Brain on Drugs~

Stepping from the helicopter, Sephiroth's nerves were raw. The cool night air did little to comfort his over-heated emotions and the growing pain in his body. Not really knowing if all of it had to do with leaving Zack, Genesis letting the Turks question him or if his own body yearned for what it had become accustomed too. Catching himself on the side of the helicopter, he grabbed at his swirling head.

"General! Are you okay?"

The cheerful yet concerned voice of the infantry soldier almost made him want to crush the other man's skull. Without a word, just a quick glance of uneasiness, he pushed past him. He didn't want to give in to his body's screams and threats that it would cause organ failure and full nervous system overload both at the same time. If he closed his eyes, he could see clearly where he left his little black bag that held his stash of Rise. Stupidly though, he forgot it on the foot of his bed in his apartment in his haste to get here to Junon and anger at Genesis. Quickly walking down the sidewalk to the elevator to his quarters, he paused. It seemed as though his urges were becoming a sentient entity that was weakening him against his will.

Looking around, he noticed that it was just him and the lone soldier that he just passed. Retracing his steps, almost breathless from fighting the phantom-like tendrils of pain, he approached the young man, "Are you familiar with this city?"

Snapping to attention, he answered, "Yes Sir, I grew up just south of Junon down in Avery. I came here all the time when I was younger."

Closing in very close, the General lowered his voice unnecessarily, "I am going to ask you to do something and you are going to keep it between us aren't you?"

Brown eyebrows pushed together in confusion, but looking up in the face of the General, he answered quickly, "Yes Sir."

"Good," Pulling several hundred Gil and a small piece of paper with a word scribbled on it from his pocket, he handed it to him, "Get to my room as soon as possible, with these provisions." Standing straight, he leaned on the wall to steady himself.

"But Sir, I'm supposed to stay here, you know, guarding the entrance."

Closing the short distance in a flash, the soldier backed into the wall in shock, "Who are you more afraid of, your Sergeant or me?!"

Silent and gasping air, his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water until he stammered out, "I-I… you Sir."

"Good. Then meet me in my room ASAP, and don't make me hunt you down," Sephiroth looked at his name tag, "Private Conner."

"Yes Sir!"

The urges that he had been able to keep at bay for so long, he was caving in to them which he hated. It was just something else that had control of him. Thinking about the last time he had taken anything, it had been two days since and his body acted as though it had been weeks.

When he got to his room, he slipped out of his leather duster and chucked it over the back of the over-sized plush chair next to the couch. His knee-high leather boots scuffed the suede cover of the couch cushion and his waist armor started to become uncomfortable as the pain in his gut increased. Wearing his customary uniform, he was shirtless, which he was fine with; he was breaking out in a sweat and would have taken it off anyway.

For almost an hour, he just stared at the ceiling from his vantage point on his back, the molding of the walls blended with the corners. The small plaster gargoyles that sparsely decorated within the swirls of white and cream-colored paint smiled and mocked his pain. With a fair amount of concentration, he kept from writhing on the floor.

Turning when he heard the knock, he quickly opened the door to see the young soldier. Stepping aside to allow his entrance, the smaller man hesitantly entered and stood nervously while the General shut and locked the door.

Fidgeting while trying to hide his shaking hands, he asked the shorter man, "How much did you get?"

The now confident soldier came in holding out a brown paper bag, Conner quietly answered, "About three to four injections, depending on how much you use each time."

Digging into the bag, Conner started for the door, but Sephiroth stopped him with a firm tone, "Sit."

Rubbing his palms on his legs, the delivery boy made his way to the couch. Pushing a bottle of beer in to the sweaty hands of the young man sitting in his room, he informed him, "I'll be right back." There was still something else he needed to have the soldier do. Private Conner brought him the drugs, Sephiroth told him to keep it quiet, but there was one more thing that he just couldn't quite recollect.

Shutting the bathroom door, he leaned over the sink, splashing cold water on his face. Whispering to himself quietly he grilled himself, "What was it that I needed him to do?"

Deciding to think about it later, he silently questioned his reflection. What the hell was he doing? He was stronger than this, wasn't he? Readying one of the syringes, he stared at it. The blue-tinted liquid was almost clear and it glistened and looked to lightly glow in the harsh bathroom light. Being the General had its perks and its disadvantages, one of them being the unimaginable thoughts that he wasn't invincible, just human.

Finding a vein, he felt the euphoria fill his senses. Swimming in impending bliss that flowed in his veins, the soft swirl of sound that was his heart beat sped up as he enjoyed the first rush of the warm embrace. Hearing the fly that landed on the mirror, it cleaned its legs fervently, it clicked its jaws as it opened and closed as it moved from one leg to the other.

His head delightfully twirled in time with the drip from the sink that timed perfectly with his breaths. Drip, drip, drip… The water pooled up in a tiny attempt to keep up a volume to resemble a body of water. Getting to a particular level, it would release and an invisible dam that broke and it flowed around and down the drain in comfortable silence.

Cat-like eyes rolled under heavy lids trying to stay conscious so he could enjoy every moment of weightlessness…

* * *

Waking up the next morning lying in his bed, bright sunlight streamed through the opened curtains. Wincing at the pain that the light caused his head, he didn't know why, this had never happened before. Always when he woke up the next day, he was headache free and his body vibrated pleasantly from the drug and the vigorous activity that his urges drove him to. Now, his head hurt worse than it had in many years.

When a body next to him shifted, he sat up in alarm, not remembering even inviting the woman in; let alone contacting her at all. Lifting the sheet back a little to see what fortune was awarded to him the night before, his eyes widened in despairing shock. That was the thing that he forgot to ask Conner to get.

The sight of short brown hair, a young-looking face and naked body beginning to wake up next to him, gave way to nausea when the realization hit, it was in fact the soldier that he had gotten the drugs from.

Jumping out of the bed, he thought that maybe it wasn't what it seemed, he had to lie to himself, but his own nakedness shot straight to his stomach and caused a guttural reaction. Running for the bathroom, he retched. After clearing his stomach contents, he weakly sat on the floor in front of the toilet. The object that he was blaming for his illness came in the bathroom, naked, and with a smile on his face, "Good morning sexy."

Leaning his head on his arm that rested on the side of the toilet, his long silver hair flowed to the floor as it brushed past his shoulder. Searching his memories, he had to try to remember what had happened.

"Last night was way better than I ever could have imagined," The solder stood next to him at the sink, washing his face and when Sephiroth looked up from the soiled water, the man's naked crotch was much too close to his face. The level of his illness and pain in his head made him think twice from wanting to tear the man's dick off and shove it in his over-talkative mouth.

Just adding to Sephiroth's self-insult to self-injury, the soldier decided to embellish on his long-held desires, "I have always wanted you to take me like that over and over, just like last night, ever since I joined the army," Pausing to take a drink of water, his face lit up, "Hey! We still have a little time before I have to be on duty, if you want to fuck again, although my ass is a little sore. What am I talking about? I'm a lot sore, you're a lot bigger than I thought. But that is just fine with me-"

Without missing a beat, Sephiroth lurched forward again and emptied more of his stomach contents. The retching man was debating on what exactly made him sick again, the hangover or the thought that he had sex with _this_ _man_. When the man moved closer to him, he spoke with concern in his tone, "I know that was some pretty stout stuff wasn't it? Worth the money if you ask me since they put some mako in it too. However, I think maybe you over did it just a little," The other man actually had the audacity to touch and rub the General's back in a sensual way.

Flinching away from the touch, the General growled, "-Get out."

"But Sephiroth, you said that we were-"

In a deep and gravelly voice, Sephiroth tried to convey his anger without having to stand up and hurt the man right then, which he didn't think he could at that moment, "Get out under your own power, or you will be leaving in a body bag."

Shuffling feet hurried through the room and hearing the Private put his clothes on and the door closing behind him, he relaxed a little until the memory came back to him.

_Sitting up from his resting spot on the toilet lid, he reached the door and stumbled out to the delivery boy. From the end of the couch, he leaned forward trying to keep his balance. This stuff was a lot stronger than the stuff he got supplied with back in Midgar. It wrapped him within the swirling warm blanket that he liked and it was so much faster acting. However, it also brought the heat of is libido quickly to a raging fire, the tightening of his pants could attest to that. _

_Holding out one of the empty syringes and one of the small bottles, silver eyebrows lifted and he stayed that way until Conner answered his silent question, "I don't know about that, I'm still on duty until 10p.m," Shifting his weight away from the towering man, he eyed the items in his palm then looked at his wristwatch._

_A familiar heat began to build up more and more through his tall and lean body, breaking him out in a sweat. Sitting down on the opposite side of the young man, he filled the syringe and waved his hand in front of his face with a, "Pfft." Tossing the syringe up in the air and then catching it, he winked at the soldier, "Here, I'll help you out." Before he could find a vein, the soldier's eyes got wide and the younger man's mouth dropped open, it sent questions through the General's mind. When Sephiroth looked down to where the boy was looking, it turned out that it was his leather pants that held his heated flesh much too tightly. _

_The soft skin on the brunette's arm was held firmly in his rough hands. Before he could stop the words, he asked, "Do you like men Conner?" _

_Conner's hand rose and he gently pushed the General's hand that held the syringe away, "I don't want any drugs. Please just call me Jason and yeah I like guys." With a smile and a new confidence, he looked to the silver General and put a hand to the large muscular thigh and squeezed, "You know, I've always liked you." _

_Looking down at the foreign hand on his leg, Sephiroth looked at the hazel eyes across from him and slurred, "Well, I don't like guys, but you'll do for the time being."_

_Clearing his throat, Conner raised his head and smiled bigger, "...Really? As long as I can have you at least once, I can live with that." Without wasting any time, the younger man slid off the couch and kneeled in front of the larger man. Working to get his pants undone, Sephiroth did not try to stop him. In fact, as soon as he felt the wet heat of Jason's mouth, he grabbed the sides of his head without a thought. As with every other time, the drug intensified all his senses and this was no different. After several minutes of the boy attending to Sephiroth's need, the silver-haired man released for the first time that night. Dutifully, Conner cleaned up after._

_As usual though, his body was nowhere near done. Standing up, Sephiroth began unbuckling the straps that held the rest of his armor and pants on. The heat kept building and he had to do something quickly as the pain was starting to become unbearable again. This had never happened this quickly before, in a firm tone, Sephiroth ordered, "Undress and get on the bed." He had to release again soon before he lost his mind and killed an undeserving person. _

_With a grin, the smaller man stood and followed the General's directions. Disrobing with a pleasure filled moan, he positioned himself over the end of the bed, just as instructed. Seemingly pulling a tube out of thin air, the brunette began doing something to himself that Sephiroth really would have rather not seen. _

_Hissing in disgust with his own weakness of the flesh, Sephiroth almost completely lost it when he saw the lust in the eyes of the more than accommodating soldier. Snapping angrily at the positioned man in front of him, he shouted, "Don't look at me!" Grabbing the boy's hips, he lost all patience and heard a yelp of what could be either pleasure or pain, either way he didn't care for the brunette's feelings anymore._

_Having tried to pleasure his own lust before, it never got him to the point where it relieved the constant and painful pressure that built up. There was just something about having someone else's flesh touching his own. That was the only way to rid himself of the appetite, the animalistic impulse to pound a willing body into the mattress. The makeup of his mako enhancement was different from Genesis, Angeal and Zack, so he wondered if that was the reason for the increase in his sexual lust. _

In his haste to dampen the pain in his gut and chest as it begged for that wonderful foreign substance, he forgot something that he had never forgotten before. He hadn't remembered to expect the painful wish for the flesh. With a sneer, he closed his eyes and hated himself at this very moment. What had happened to him that this is where the great General Sephiroth was now?

As he sat on the floor, the cold tile on his naked rear was sending chills up his body, he retched again.

Upon collecting himself, he stood to wash his mouth out at the sink and caught a glimpse of his reflection. Stooping to this all-time low, as far as he was concerned, he seriously thought about telling his father and getting help. He _had_ to get help…and soon. What he thought he had under control was quickly spiraling out of his grasp.

Right now though, he needed to get his composure back, had to get dressed in his uniform and appear as if nothing happened. Even with a long shower, he still felt the sting of his world crashing down around him. He would have loved to blame someone, Angeal for killing himself, Zack for being kidnapped or even Genesis for asking the Turks to violently question Zack.

Unfortunately, it was all his own doing, _his_ depression, _his_ inability to deal with watching one of his best friends commit such a grievous act. It was the feel of Angeal's warm blood spraying across his face and neck that made him gag at the thought of the way it felt that day. Instead of finding help like his father and Dr. Chase insisted, he blew them off and dealt with it in the worst way possible.

Getting his uniform on, he couldn't even look at himself in the mirror. The image of the General of the Shinra Empire is what he would consider a disappointment. Even his brothers, Rufus and Lazard, wouldn't have gotten down this far. Lazard would not waste any time in his lecture of importance of his duties and Rufus, being considered the family screw-up, would revel in Sephiroth's failing.

Clearing his throat, he pulled his leather duster on and left to meet the Turk that knew where to find Jacob Harding, rumored to be Hojo's former associate.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


	19. Between Me, You and Your Inner Demons

Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

The _italicized_ words in the conversation is actually the strange and odd language that Zack suddenly started speaking in (Latin). The whole title of the chapter wouldn't fit on the notification thingy, sorry.

I want to thank my beta **SubZeroChimera**!

* * *

"Gaining time is gaining everything in love, trade and war." –John Shebbeare

Chapter 19

~Just Between Me, You and Your Inner Demons~

"Zackary, let the boy rest. Are you hungry?" Leaving the bedroom, Tseng waited for him to follow. Ever since the doctor, General and the Commander left, Zack hadn't moved from the blonde's side. The Turk was hoping to get him away from the injured boy, maybe talk a little more about his kidnapping. With the young First's personality being naturally curious, Tseng decided to try purposely ignoring him to a certain degree.

Getting to the kitchen, Tseng washed his hands and pulled out a few things, including a large pot. Beginning his preparations, he opened the refrigerator and took several more items out. The Turk didn't know who put in the order at the grocery service, but they did an adequate job. Apples, bananas and oranges filled the large bowl on the counter top. With many kinds of fresh vegetables, he had a good choice to start with.

As he began chopping vegetables, he heard a voice from the entry of the kitchen, "_What are you doing?_"

"_I am making some lunch_," Tseng didn't look at the inquisitive First.

Glancing around the room, Zack muttered, "_I'm not hungry_."

Shrugging his shoulders, Tseng informed him, "_Then you can eat it at dinner or when ever you do get hungry,_" Finally looking over his shoulder, he said flatly, "_Cloud may be hungry later and he has to keep up his strength. So unless you plan on cooking, both of you can eat this_."

Wrapping his arms around himself, Zack took a step forward and attempted to peer into the pot. His bare feet were soundless on the cool tile but Tseng could still sense his approach, "_May I ask you a question Zackary?_" Not getting any sort of reply, Tseng continued, "_I know you said that Hojo preferred you speak in this language, but why this language?_"

Large glowing mako eyes studied the Turk as he continued to cut up vegetables. Stepping up beside him, he watched the movements of the knife. In a disinterested and distracted tone, the taller man answered, "_Because he said it was the language of the ancient goddess. Others said she was the calamity._" Reaching out, he ran his fingers down Tseng's arm, down to the top of his hand. Staying alert, he didn't stop chopping, he just readied himself for the worst.

Despite the larger hand over his as he held the knife, Tseng pressed on, _"Goddess?_ _Calamity? I know nothing of these. Can you teach me what that is?_"

Quickly pulling his hand away, Zack retreated a few steps as he shook his head, "_She is the reason_."

Still not looking at him, the Turk dumped the potatoes that he had finished chopping into the boiling sauce. Taking some onions, he started chopping those, "_The reason for what?_" There was no talking behind him, just increased panicked breathing. Finally turning, he asked the taller man, "_Zackary, answer my question. I can't learn about her if you don't teach it to me._"

Raising his gaze from the floor, he met the deep brown eyes of the Wutanese man, "_Pain, death… madness._" Tseng could see the fight behind the bright cerulean eyes, the urge to run and hide.

Tseng could remember when he was growing up; there was once an old story that his grandfather used to tell him. It was about a beautiful woman who came from the stars. She had terrifying powers to move things, and influence people with her mind. Reluctantly, the people took her in, fed her and taught her the ways of the native ancients. With her beauty and promises of better things, she deceived the ancient people and they were then slaughtered by her hand. Remembering something else that his grandfather told him was that he said her name was Jenova. Tseng wondered if Jenova was actually real and if she could be the calamity that Zack spoke of, "_Did you ever see this goddess, this calamity?_"

Tilting his head, Zack studied the man in front of him again. Backing himself up in the corner, he looked around, alarmed to see he was trapped. As he descended to a crouch, Tseng turned back to the vegetables. The feeling of scrutiny occurring behind him, the Turk said nothing else.

"…_Yes_."

Working on keeping his tone calm but interested, Tseng asked, "_Oh? What was it like?_"

Hearing sniffing behind him, Zack spoke quietly, as if he didn't want anyone to hear, "_She was… terrible,_" Beginning to mumble, he raked his fingers through his hair and continued, "_Every time, it hurt, all the time when I was alone, she would come, always with her… what the others called her pets._"

When he was done chopping and adding all the vegetables to the sauce, he turned it down and covered it. Paying the other man no attention, he washed his hands again and then washed the lettuce. Beginning to make the salad, Tseng deeply wondered what this man went through. It was obvious, even to the untrained eye that Zack went through something very traumatic. The young First Class was never one who sat still in one place for long and never went without a laugh at least once a day.

The only other time he saw this cowering man saddened was after Angeal died. Knowing the similarities in both First's behavior, he wanted to ask about the younger man's mentor. Perhaps he heard something about him, but he had to concentrate on one line of questioning at a time. After Reno basically broke Zack's mental wall down, it annoyed him that the emotionally damaged man reverted to speaking in this old language. However, he would have done the same thing that Reno had done to get through the first barrier to the taller man's mental state.

Shifting his weight, Zack didn't take his eyes off Tseng across the floor. Feeling mako eyes staring at him, he began, "_Pets? I had a dog once when I was younger_." Knowing that Zack didn't mean that kind of pet, he understandably proceeded with innocent sounding questions, "_There was also a neighbor that had a toxic frog and a touch me for pets. Of course he kept them in separate tanks, but they were interesting to look at when he would allow the neighborhood kids in to see them."_

"_Her pets weren't fun… or exciting, she called them her children and they…_" Lowering his head until his forehead rested on his knees, Zack began to shiver_, "Every day… every day they would come to… play._"

Raising his eyebrows, Tseng dumped the lettuce in the large salad bowl, "_Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that. May I ask what they played?_"

Looking at Zack over his shoulder, the violet colored eyes met his. A fire erupted behind those hypnotizing eyes. Just as in the recording, Zack's eyes flashed bright green with snake-like pupils and in a deep and uncharacteristic menacing voice, Zack asked, "_Do _you_ want to play?" _

Keeping his face unchanging, his firm gaze never faltered, "_Why do you ask?"_ Tightening his grip unconsciously around the handle to the knife, he dared to push him a little farther, "_Did the calamity's children not play nicely?_"

With his hands reaching up, he fisted his hair and screamed, "_No! I don't want to play anymore! I'm safe now? I'm not there anymore, right?_" Jerking his eyes open, his normal colored eyes studied him, "_Right?! This isn't a trick is it?_"

Alarmed but maintaining his cool exterior, Tseng said, "_No Zackary, you're in your apartment in Midgar. We won't let her children near you,_" Lowering his head, he let Zack have some control over what was happening here, "_Do you understand?_"

Seemingly understanding, Zack calmed and stood up slowly, _"…Yes, I understand, I'm sorry."_

"_There is no need for you to be sorry,_" Turning back to the salad and tomatoes, Tseng asked, "_Why are you talking to me when you wouldn't talk to anyone else except Cloud?_"

Looking toward the doorway, Zack conveyed, "_Your soul is calm._"

"_What about Cloud? What is it about Cloud that you are so fascinated with him?_"

Looking off to his right, the Soldier's gaze glazed over as he thought about the question and contemplated his answer. Dumping the diced tomatoes in the salad, Tseng began with the cucumbers. Finally, a voice that sounded as though he were a million miles away in his mind, Zack said, "_I have to protect the innocence he harbors. I can't let them get him… I can't let myself… anybody, anything take that from him._"

"_I'm not sure I understand_," Keeping Zack in his peripheral vision, he still stood with his back in the corner, he asked, "_You can't let the calamity get him? Who exactly are you protecting him from?_"

"_All of them!_" Zack's eyes welled up and his voice lowered to a whisper just before he crouched back to the floor, "_From… me._"

"_How is keeping Cloud so close to you keep you from hurting him?"_

In a sudden and frightening display of his Soldier enhancements, Zack was across the floor and held the Turk's neck tightly in his hands, "_Why do you think? By protecting him from that demon, it keeps her from taking over!_"

Struggling for breath, Tseng reacted quickly and held the knife up to Zack's throat. Tseng's other hand held on to the tightening hand around his neck. Finding enough air to push through his squeezed and strained vocal chords, the Turk hoarsely got out, "_Soldier First Class Zackary Fair! I suggest you remember your place!_" Zack flinched and his hand loosened just enough to allow easier breathing.

Tseng watched the towering man's fight for control behind his eyes, however, the knife stayed above the taller man's jugular, ready for anything. Although, Zack's lips curled in a snarl, the pain in his eyes contradicted his body language. In a stern tone, Tseng finished, but he didn't speak in the ancient dead language, "You are a Soldier! Remember your training, everything you've achieved to make it to the elite Soldier that you still are! Do you really want to kill me and ruin everything you've worked for?!"

The obvious confusion that widened Zack's eyes also made him let go of the Turk. Observing the realization of his actions and remembering what he used to be, Tseng whispered as he took the knife away from the thick neck, leaving a superficial cut. With a cool demeanor, Tseng finished, "Remember Angeal and what he taught you. Honor. Resilience. Dignity," Pausing for a moment to let it sink in as Zack backed away, his eyes beginning to well up in awareness. Asking in a normal and calm volume, the Turk put the knife down behind him on the counter, "Your dreams."

When his back hit the refrigerator, he stopped and looked at his hands and sadly said, "I-I…" Looking back at Tseng, he let a few tears trail down his flushed cheeks, "I think that I was in… hell."

Relaxing against the edge of the counter, Tseng said, "That seems obvious, but it is good to have you back home."

"The things that happened… I-" Zack frantically ran for the trash can where he emptied his stomach contents. Tseng grabbed a cloth and wet it with cool water and placed it on the back of his neck.

After the worst of it was over, Tseng suggested, "You don't have to talk about it right now. Why don't you go lay down for a little while?"

Zack wiped at his face with the cloth as Tseng led him down the hall where Zack went to brush his teeth. Tseng's fingers lightly grazed Zack's arm, and at the uninvited touch, he jerked away from the Turk. When his back slammed against the wall, a framed picture fell to the floor, shattering the glass across the carpeted floor.

Bending over, the traumatized man ran his fingers over the image of him and Angeal posing in front of the doors to the training room. Angeal's arm, wrapped tightly around the younger man's shoulders in a sideways hug and both had large smiles on their faces. The picture was taken when Zack was first promoted to Second. Sadly, Zack whispered, "…Angeal." Stepping on the sharp shards of glass without a second thought, Zack left bloody footprints behind him. Absently wondering how many shards of glass were still in the bottoms of his feet, he would check later. Right now, Zack was barely tolerating the Turk's presence as it was.

Walking to the bedroom without any help or words of encouragement, the Turk watched with interested eyes as the man put the picture on the night table and climbed in bed, curling up in the fetal position next to the blond.

Finally breaking through the worst part of his psychosis and reaching the man was a huge step. From his previous behavior, he began to think that it would be several more weeks or even months before they would see this kind of progress. To say that he was surprised would have been an understatement. He originally just wanted to get some information, but he definitely got more than he expected.

Quietly, he looked to Cloud who was still sleeping off the sedative that Dr. Chase administered. Noting that Rude had really worked him over, he also noted something else of great interest. As he stood there, the cuts and bruises were healing at an alarming rate, faster even for a First Class.

Going back to the kitchen, the Turk leader announced quietly to himself, "I think that I am going to have to pay Dr. Chase a visit."

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*


End file.
